


You can stay here, you will be safe

by arrowupmysleeve



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst and Romance, Fluff and Angst, Jaster Mereel is Mand'alor, M/M, Mandalorian Empire, Sith Empire, minor charactar death, there is a war between Sith Empire and the Republic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-09
Updated: 2021-02-28
Packaged: 2021-03-05 20:48:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 31,329
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25811578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arrowupmysleeve/pseuds/arrowupmysleeve
Summary: When Jango is thrown into the cell he is pissed, bleeding, and ready to kill the next person that gets close to him. He hits the floor hard and by the time he gets up on his knees the cell’s energy shield is back up and the guard has walked away. Jango’s arms are shackled in front of him and his armor is gone, but his feet are free and he is barefoot. The cell is tiny, maybe 1.5 m wide and 2 m long, there is no bed and there is a hole in the floor in one corner for him to piss in, three of the walls are metal, and the one wall of energy shield. All in all, not the worst place he has ever been held, but not the best either.“Hello there.” A smooth voice says and Jango looks out into the hall, but he can’t see anyone. Jango stays silent and keeps his ears and eyes peeled.On your left.”  The male-sounding voice says again and Jango realizes that the voice comes from the next cell over.Jango considers his options and then huffs. “Hello.”“Ah, he speaks.” The voice says and Jango can hear the relief. “Are you alright? You didn’t look too good when they carried you in.”
Relationships: Jango Fett/Obi-Wan Kenobi
Comments: 348
Kudos: 1729
Collections: Favorite Rereads





	1. Isn’t it proper to introduce yourself first?

When Jango is thrown into the cell, he is pissed, bleeding, and ready to kill the next person that gets close to him. He hits the floor hard, and by the time he gets up on his knees, the cell’s energy shield is back up, and the guard has walked away. Jango’s arms are shackled in front of him, and his armor is gone, but his feet are free, and he is barefoot. The cell is tiny, maybe 1.5 m wide and 2 m long, there is no bed, and there is a hole in the floor in one corner for him to piss in. Three of the walls are metal, and the one wall of energy shield, all in all, not the worst place he has ever been held, but not the best either.

“Hello there.” A smooth voice says, and Jango looks out into the hall, but he can’t see anyone. Jango stays silent and keeps his ears and eyes peeled. 

“On your left.” The male-sounding voice says again, and Jango realizes that the voice comes from the next cell over.

Jango considers his options and then huffs. “Hello.”

“Ah, he speaks.” The voice says, and Jango can hear the relief. “Are you alright? You didn’t look too good when they carried you in.”

Jango grimaces and takes a second to catalog his injuries. His head is ringing, so he probably has a concussion, and his shoulders hurt, but the only part of him that is bleeding is the soles of his feet. The fucking slavers had decided to cane his feet, so now Jango can’t stand up or run away without extreme pain. Fucking slavers.

“Nothing is broken,” Jango tells the voice.

“That’s good, you have a name?” the voice asks.

“Isn’t it proper to introduce yourself first?” Jango shots back. 

The voice laughs. “My apologies, you can call me Ben.”

Jango huffed. “J’mee, you can call me J’mee.”

The voice, Ben, hummed, and his amusement was clear. 

“How long have you been here?” Jango asked and sat down with his back against the wall, facing the wall Ben was behind. 

“I’m not quite sure,” Ben says. “What’s today’s date?” Jango told him, and Ben fell silent. 

“Ben?” Jango asked.

“Ah, yes. My apologies.” Ben cleared his throat. “I have been here for a little over a month.” 

Jango leaned his head back and took a breath. He was not going to be here for a month, no fucking way. Jango looked down and started working on his feet. They needed to be cleaned and bandaged properly if he wanted them to heal.

“How is the war going?” Ben asked, and Jango blinked.

“The war between the Sith Empire and the Republic?” Jango waited until he got confirmation before he continued. “Last I heard, they were at a standstill. The Republic has taken back Naboo, and the Sith Empire was consolidating power on Ryloth.”

“The Republic lost Ryloth?” Ben sounded miserable, and Jango paused, that had happened almost a month ago. Jango hadn’t doubted Ben’s claim that he had been here for a month, but he had not considered the implications, and it sounded like Ben was from the Republic.

“Yes,” Jango replied. “What can you tell me about the routine here.” Ben hummed and started talking. It was a long and thorough explanation, and Jango found himself a little impressed.

“Wait, hold up.” Jango interrupted. “You don’t get food?”

“No.” Ben agreed. “I’m held up in a containment field, but they injected me with some kind of IV. Presumably, it’s what keeps me alive.” His voice tilted up at the end, and Ben sounded like he was amused. Jango looked around his cell and swallowed. He was not staying here any longer than he needed to. 

“Where are you from, J’mee?” Ben asked after a slight pause.

“Why do you want to know?” Jango asked and continued working on his feet.

Ben huffed. “I haven’t had a conversation with anyone since I was captured.”

Jango hummed and considered how to answer that question. “I have an apartment on Taris.”

“You’re Mandalorian?” Ben sounds surprised.

Jango grimaces and takes a second to think. “Yes.”

“You’re a soldier from the Mandalore Empire?” Now Ben sounds curious. 

“Yes.” There should be no problem with admitting this. The Mandalorian Empire and the Republic are not currently at war. They had signed a peace treaty not long after Jaster took over as Mand’alor, and Jaster did not like the Sith Empire or the Hutts, so the Republic did not have any issues with him.

Ben only hummed. “I have been on Taris once.” He offered after a moment.

“Did you have a good time?” Jango asked. A little distracted, he looked at the wall, trying to find a weakness in the wall.

“Yes,” Ben was definitely smiling now. “I went bar hopping with a Mandalorian, and then we blew up a warehouse and liberated some blasters.” Jango paused in what he was doing. That had sounded vaguely familiar. Ben sighted. “Unfortunately, I never got his comm number. Could use some help now.”

Jango huffs, but he can’t find a way out of his cell, so he lays down on the floor. “I’m gonna catch some sleep.”

“Alright.” Ben sighs and goes silent. 

\--

Jango jerks awake when he hears the footsteps, but he can’t see anyone.

“Good afternoon,” Ben says, his voice pleasant and warm. Jango sits up, and he can’t quite hear the answer, but that’s when the screaming starts.

\--

When their captures finally leave, they have left a plate of food and water for Jango, and he doesn’t waste it. Even if the food tastes like ash in his mouth, Jango eats it all, and when he is done, he sits back down the same way as yesterday.

“You’re a Jedi?” Jango asks. There is no answer for several moments, and Jango can feel his heart rate spike. Did they kill him?

“Yes,” the answer finally comes, his voice is raspy, and Jango can barely hear him. 

“You’re Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi.” 

“Yes,” Obi-Wan answers, and he sounds tired.

<

“How often do they come by to talk?” Jango asks.

“Every-” Obi-Wan choughs, and Jango can hear when he spits on the floor, probably blood, and then he continues. “Every other day.”

They sit in silence for a moment, and then Obi-Wan speaks up again. "Might I ask you for a favor?"

"What?" Jango asks.

"Can you talk to me?" Obi-Wan pleads. "The silence…"

His voice wobbles and goes out, and Jango starts talking. He ignores what he says. He speaks about movies he has watched and books he has read. About a cantina, he visited on Tatooine, and the time he met Jabba the Hutt.

“My Padawan is from Tatooine,” Obi-Wan says when Jango takes a moment to breathe. “He hates sand above all else.” Jango tilts his head to hear him better. “Force, I miss Anakin.” Obi-Wan sounds broken, and Jango closes his eyes in sympathy. A month alone here, with only his capturers to talk to and no idea of when he will escape. If he will ever escape, Jango would probably hate the silence as well, so he keeps talking.

Obi-Wan joins in now and then with anecdotes about his life as a Jedi and a surprising amount of snark and sass. Jango finds himself laughing at several points, and he feels his throat close up when Jango gets Obi-Wan to laugh, and Obi-Wan spends several seconds coughing and choking.

“I’m gonna pass out now,” Obi-Wan says, and Jango jerks to his feet.

“No, stay awake.” Jango orders.

“You have my deepest apologies, J’mee.” And that makes Jango stop. 

“Jango.” Obi-Wan makes a questioning sound. “My name is Jango.”

“It was good to meet you, Jango.” Obi-Wan slurs. “Even if the circumstance could have been better.”

\--

When Obi-Wan wakes up, he is very surprised. First of all, he woke up. Second, he is lying down for the first time in over a month. Third, he can feel the Force. It sings to him, and he can’t help smiling. He feels a hand at his ribs, and he opens his eyes to see who it is.

Obi-Wan blinks and is disappointed to see that it’s not Anakin but a dark-haired male human. He has tan skin, and when he turns his head to meet Obi-Wan’s eyes, he can see that his eyes are a lovely brown and that he has a scar high on his cheekbone. Obi-Wan lifts a hand to trace the scar, and the man freezes. Obi-Wan feels that this man is familiar, but he can't place him.

“Hello,” Obi-Wan says, smiling, and drops his hands. “You come here often?”

The man blinks, then snorts on a laugh and turns back to Obi-Wan’s ribs. Obi-Wan recognizes that laugh, and he takes a second to study J’mee. He frowns and thinks back. “Jango.”

The man looks up at his name, their eyes meet again, and Obi-Wan recognizes him. He closes his eyes and grones. “You’re Jango Fett, son of Mand’alor Mereel.”

“Yes.” Jango sounds amused, but he doesn’t stop assessing Obi-Wan’s ribs.

“How did you get out of your cell?” Obi-Wan asks.

“They left me a plate and a cup.” Jango sounds smug. “I got creative.”

Obi-Wan laughs and then starts coughing.

“Kriffing hell, stop that,” Jango orders, and Obi-Wan takes a deep breath as Jango helps him to sit up.

“Forgive me for being injured.” Obi-Wan shoots back when he gets his lungs back under control, and he can open his eyes again. Obi-Wan is now sitting upright and leaning into Jango’s naked chest. Jango only hums and places a hand on the back of Obi-Wan’s back to steady him.

“Do you think you can move?” He asks, and Obi-Wan considers the question. 

“Yes,” Obi-Wan says and smirks at Jango’s skeptical look. “I can handle it.”

He helps Obi-Wan up, and when they are both standing, Jango grimaces in pain. “Are you alright?” Obi-Wan asks.

Jango wrinkles his nose, and that should not be as cute as it is. “They caned my feet.” 

He blinks and looks down. Obi-Wan can now see where Janog’s shirt went. “Ah, will you be able to walk?”

“Yes,” Jango hesitates and looks at Obi-Wan. “But I could use some help with the escape.”

Obi-Wan takes a careful breath and hobbles forward on unsteady feet. “Do we need to find your armor, or is this a straightforward escape?” When Obi-Wan looks back, Jango is studying him, and Obi-Wan raises an eyebrow. 

“Escape is paramount,” Jango states, and Obi-Wan nods.

“But for a Mandalorian to lose their armor...” Obi-Wan trailer off and meets Jango’s very intense eyes. He swallows. They stare at each other, and then Jango speaks up. 

“It’s a sign of disrespect to take someone’s armor, and to have it stolen can be enough to be named dar'manda.” Jango agrees.

“Then we better get moving,” Obi-Wan says and steps out of the cell, Jango following closely behind him.

The first of the crew they meet is a Trandoshan, and Jango takes him down by sneaking up behind him and snapping his neck. They continue down the hall, and Obi-Wan realizes that the ship is bigger than he thought, but not that big. They find Jango’s armor in easily enough in the ship captain’s quarters, and when Obi-Wan feels the captain coming, they stage an ambush, the twi’lek goes down. It turns out he has Obi-Wan’s lightsaber on his belt.

Obi-Wan ignites the saber and twirls it in his hand, perhaps it’s a little flashy, but he doesn't think it deserves Jango’s snort of laughter and the role of his eyes. Especially as Jango had made a noise of pure delight when he found his armor. When Jango has dressed in the armor again, they make their way out the cabin and down into the shuttle bay, the crew member they meet on the way goes down easily, and Obi-Wan is slightly awed at how easy it is to work with Jango.

It feels like they have been working together for years. 

\--

They find the Firespray in the shuttle bay, to Jango's relife relieved, and he ushers Obi-Wan in the ramp to get the hell out of here. They find their seat and takes off. Jango turns the ship and takes great pleasure in blowing it up. Obi-Wan had made a noise of protest, and Jango had tried to convince him it was the best course of action, but only got the go-ahead after Obi-Wan had made sure there were no other innocents on the ship.

"Where in the galaxy are we?" Obi-Wan asks when Jango reaches for the nav computer. 

Jango makes a noise of surprise. "We are not that far from Zygerria."

Obi-Wan blinks and turns his head to look at him. "Zygerria?"

"They were probably going to sell us there." Jango frowns, and Obi-Wan chuckles.

"You perhaps, the captain was working or at least in communication, with the Sith." Obi-Wan's eyes are unfocused. "They were going to hand me over to them."

"They had you for over a month," Jango says. "Why wait?"

Obi-Wan chuckles. "Apparently, my former Padawan was making it incredibly hard for them to make physical contact." 

Jango considers this, and he has to concede the point. He has heard of the Kenobi-Skywalker team, but he can't quite figure out how one person can stop a simple handoff. Jango looks back at Obi-Wan, and when he smiles at Jango, he suddenly realized why someone would go to such lengths for one person. 

"I'm sorry, Jango." Obi-Wan whispers, and Jango blinks at him in confusion.

"I'm gonna go back to sleep now." Then Obi-Wan's eyes roll back in his skull, and Jango is left alone with a passed out Jedi. He carefully doesn't panic and punches in the coordinates for the hyperjump to Mandalore, and then turns to pick up the Jedi. Who should really be a lot heavier than he is. Fuck.


	2. The pick up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m so disappointed in you all. I misspelled Firespray as Firefly and no one called me out, I had to see that mistake for myself. 
> 
> I didn't know how to start this chapter, I must have rewriten it at least three times, until I got the comment from Fives. So thakn you Fives for the opening scene. Anyway, here’s the next chapter. Enjoy.

The ship drops out of hyperspace, to Jango's frustration. The slavers had gone through the ship and stripped it of all the food and medical supplies. They had started on the fuel, but they had not gotten all of it, so there had been just enough to get through the first couple of hyperjumps. Jango runs a hand through his hair and sighs. Time to call the cavalry.

Luckily, the slavers had not gone so far as to pry the comm station from the wall of the ship. Small mercies. Jango comms Jaster and hopes he will answer. Jaster is the Mand’alor, so he should be busy with ruling and paperwork. One of the many reasons Jango was hoping Arla, his sister, would take over as Mand’alor when their buir stepped down one day. Again luck was on Jango’s side, the comm was picked up after barely a minute, and Jaster came into view.

“Jango.” The relife in Jaster’s voice is clear. “Where are you?”

“Mand’alor.” Jango places a fist over his heart. “I’m currently floating in space near Felucia.”

“Felucia?” Jaster sounds incredulous. “The last position had you in the Kwymar sector.”

“Turned out the meeting with smugglers was a trap.” Jango grimaces. “We escaped near Zygerria and headed for Mandalore.”

“Would have been easier for everyone if you headed back to Kwymar and Telos,” Jaster says, scratching his cheek, looking slightly sheepish.

“Why? Telos is infested with Death Watch,” As Jango spoke, Jaster looked more and more amused. “Felucia is the better option.”

“Not anymore,” Jaster says, and Jango blinks.

“What?”

“Telos,” Jaster said as if that explains anything, and when Jango just looks at him, Jaster smirks. “When you went missing, Arla went looking, and Death Watch took umbrage to her presence.” Jaster shrugs. “They attacked, and she responded, so now we have technically taken the planet.”

Jango leans back in his chair and closes his eyes. He had been on Telos to investigate rumors of Death Watch activity, and what he had found had not been good, but to take the planet was an overreaction. They probably would have done it anyway in the end, Death Watch was too entranced, but there would have been more planning involved.

“Yeah,” Jaster agrees with Jango's unsaid exasperation. “I have been held up with the paperwork for that mess for days now. I’m considering retirement.”

Jango opens his eyes and smirks at Jaster. “Take Myles with you. We don't need him grumbling in the background when Arla takes over.”

Jaster laughs and looks outside the holos reach. “You hear that, Myles, they want us both out of here.” Jango can't hear Myles answer, but he figurs it was loud and involved a lot of swearing.

“You said ‘we escaped’,” Jango met Jaster’s eyes through the holo. “Who you got with you?”

“I was imprisoned with a Jetii. He helped me escape.” Jango pauses, and now it was his turn to be sheepish. “I still have him with me.”

Jaster looks thoughtful. “Anyone I would know of?”

“High General Obi-Wan Kenobi.” Jaster stares at him, and Jango stares right back.

“The Jedi High General that went missing, presumed dead, over a month ago?” Jaster asks incredulously.

“Yes.” Jango agrees.

Jaster drags a hand down his face. “Why is it always you or your sister that get into these situations?”

“Talent,” Jango smirks at Jaster when he grimaces. “We are low on medical supplies, so that a quick retrieval would be best.”

“This is going to produce so much paperwork,” Jaser complains and turns to look at something off-screen. Jango snorts, a man in his sixties should not sound so much like Jango’s teenage son. He closed his eyes for a second and wonders how Boba is doing. “I will direct Cody to come to pick you up. He is on his way back from Kijimi.”

“Good,” Jango says but sighs. Cody Fett was his cousin, a General in The Mandalorian Army, and a good man, but he could be a vindictive bastard when he wants to. On the holo, Jaster is looking him over.

"Any injuries? To you or our guest?" Jaster asks.

"They caned my feet, but nothing else serious." Jango pulls a face. "The jetii is worse. No food and regular torture sessions for him, I suggest we dump him in a bacta tank and let him stay there for a while."

Jaster raises an eyebrow and leans back in his chair, but before he can say anything about that, Jango blinks and turns to look back into the ship. “Seems my guest is awake. I’ll comm you later, buir.”

They made hasty goodbyes before Jango ended the call to go and make sure the jetii didn’t accidentally kill himself doing something stupid like trying to get up.

Too late.

“Lay back down.” Jango orders as he sees Obi-Wan is trying to sit up. “Don’t injure yourself more. We do not have medical supplies.”

“Jango?” Obi-Was sounds out of it, and he turns his head towards his voice.

“Yeah, I’m here.” Jango sits down at the edge of the bed facing the jetii. When Obi-Wan refuses to lay back down, Jango helps him sit up, leaning back against the wall, and gives him a glass of water to drink.

"Small sips" He orders. "Don't have clothes for you to change into if you puke all over yourself."

The jetii chokes on a laugh, and some drops of water slide into his mess of a beard. A month without a shower, a shave, and food has not been kind to Obi-Wan, but somehow he was still handsome.

“How are your feet?” Obi-Wan asks when he has emptied the glass, and Jango huffs.

“They are fine.” It’s not a lie, but they only hurt when he is standing on them, and he is not standing at the moment.

“Where are we?” Obi-Wan inquiries, tipping his head back against the wall and glances at Jango.

“We’re not far from Felucia.” He answers and watches Obi-Wan digest this. "We're out of fuel, so we are not going anywhere right now."

“But we’re on our way to Manda’yaim.” Obi-Wan states, and the unexpected Mando’a throws Jango off guard for a moment, but he gathers himself again quickly.

“Yes, my cousin will pick us up soon.” Jango agrees.

“Which one?” Obi-Wan smirks. “According to the intel, you have at least a hundred of them.”

“Cody Fett,” Jango tells him and watches as Obi-Wan furrows his brow and taps his finger against his glass.

“Scar on his temple?” He asks, and Jango raises an eyebrow at him.

“Yes,” Jango says, but Obi-Wan doesn’t say anything else about that. Instead, Jango gets the distinct impression the jetii wants to change the subject.

"Do you have any food?"

"No, the slavers took everything," Jango explains.

Obi-Wan looks down on his empty glass. "Is that why the water tasted funny?"

"It is safe," Jango looks at the glass and wrinkles his nose. "But you don't want to know any more than that." He glances up again and finds Obi-Wan already looking at him, smiling.

The jetii clears his throat. "What happens next?"

"We wait." Jango scoots back to leans against the opposite wall, lets his bandaged feet come up to rest against Obi-Wan's side, and crosses his arms. The jetii studies Jango's bare ankles, he is dressed in slightly too short pants, but Jango needed the other pants to bandage his feet.

"What I meant is," Obi-Wan tips his head back against the wall, meets Jango's eyes. "Am I a prisoner of the Mandalorian Empire?"

Jango raises an eyebrow and taps his foot against Obi-Wan's thigh.

"If you were a prisoner, I would have put you in one of the holding cells, " Jango points out. "Not my in my personal quarters."

Obi-Wan blinks and glances around the barren room, then back at Jango. "This is not a holding cell?" He asks, voice dry. "Could have fooled me."

Jango snorts but doesn't answer. The ship was never meant for long-distance flights. It was a prison guard ship, and the pilot's quarter had been an afterthought; then again, Jango hadn't kept the ship for its personnel space. It didn't even have a galley. No, the real draw had been its firepower and shield capabilities.

Obi-Wan speaks up again, and Jango turns his attention back to the man he is currently sharing a bed with. "Then may I ask where my lightsaber is?"

There is a second of incomprehension. Why would Jango know where it is? Before he remembers. By the ka'ra, he needs sleep, a shower, and food, in that order. Jango drags a hand down his face and lets his head hit the wall, he is not as young as he once was. Jango studies Obi-Wan. They could both use a shower.

"Right, give me a second," Jango says and gets up on his knees. He places a hand on the wall by Obi-Wan's head for stability and leans forward. The new position makes Jango loom over the jetii, and when he glances down, their eyes meet.

There is a second of breathless stillness, and then Obi-Wan licks his lips. Jango flickers his eyes down to watch and back up again, and the jetii breaks the silence. "Is that my lightsaber in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?"

Jango stares at the grinning jetii for a second in disbelief, then smirks back. "Does that line work on anyone?"

"You tell me?" Obi-Wan smiles charmingly up at him, and Jango hates to admit it, but it's kind of working. He shifts his attention to the wall and the hidden compartment by Obi-Wan's head, it slides open, and Jango retrieves the lightsaber.

"Huh," Obi-Wan sounds intrigued. "That's handy."

The jetii has twisted his head back to look at the compartment, so when Jango glances down, he gets an excellent view of where Obi-Wan's shirt has stretched to show off his collarbone. The impulse to lean down and bite is so strong Jango feels a little unsteady, so he averts his eyes.

"I'm full of surprises." Jango retorts as he settles back against the wall and hands the lightsaber over.

"That you are." The jetii murmurs and takes the lightsaber. Obi-Wan studies Jango, and he must come to some kind of conclusion. "You trust me not to attack you?"

Jango snorts. "And go where? We're dead in the water, so to speak." He gestures to the ship and the space beyond it. "Cody is on his way, and he doesn't have to come aboard the ship to kill you, and even then," Jango crosses his arms and smirks at the jetii. "I'm pretty sure the moment you try doing anything more than speaking, you will pass out from exhaustion."

"So no strenuous activities?" Obi-Wan looks at Jango from under lowered lashes and lets his gaze flicker over him. "A shame."

Jango feels his lips stretch wider as he holds Obi-Wan's gaze. "There is always later."

"That suggests I'm still going to be here." Obi-Wan's question is light, but his eyes are sharp, and Jango can feel the intensity in them.

"I say we dump you in a bacta tank and leave you there for a couple of days," Jango smirks, and Obi-Wan blinks. "That should get us to Manda'yaim, and then we will see."

"Surely that is not necessary." Obi-Wan protests, but Jango cuts him off.

"You want to meet the Mand'alor while so injured we have to show you in on a hoverchair?"

"That’s the plan? I meet the Manda’lor, then what?" Obi-Wan asks, and when Jango only smirks at him, Obi-Wan rolls his eyes and raises an eyebrow at him.

Jango took a second to lean back, cross his feet at the ankles, and gather his thoughts. How to explain this to an outsider without giving to much away, but at the same time make him understand.

"When Jaster was elected Mand'alor-" Jango was cut off by Obi-Wan snort of derision.

"It's funny how you say elected when he can't be removed from office." Obi-Wan snarked, and Jango felt his temper flare-up.

"And how long has your Chancellor held office? Thirteen years in on a ten-year term?" Jango matched Obi-Wan's tone. "At least we are honest about it when we elect someone for a lifetime position."

"That's different." Obi-Wan began. "Chancellor-"

"I do not give a shit about your Chancellor," Jango interrupts and waits for both of them to take a deep breath and for Obi-Wan to indicate that the matter was dropped before continuing.

"When Jaster was elected, he was elected as a reformer," Jango explains. "After the civil wars, he reunited the clans and the sectors under one banner again. He promised them no more wars."

"Pacifist?" Obi-Wan sounds amused, and Jango barks a laugh.

"No, but we won’t declare war on anyone either." Jango shrugs. "We're happy with what we have, and we will fight to keep it."

Obi-Wan hums but doesn't argue with Jango's description. "You want to establish diplomatic relations with the Republic?"

"Yes, this latest Sith-Jedi war is almost over, and the Republic is winning," Jango says, and when the jetii looks ready to argue, he continues. "The Republic took Naboo."

"We lost Ryloth." Obi-Wan counteres.

"A temporary loss." Jango had seen the reports, and General Windu had been gathering his troops to retake the planet when Jango was captured. "But Naboo has been a Sith stronghold since the war started eight years ago! With this, you can start a campaign into the Sith Empire proper.” Closing his eyes, Obi-Wan takes a deep breath. Jango watches him and then continues in a softer tone. “I know the Mandalorian Empire has stayed neutral in this war-”

Obi-Wan snorts and knocks his ankle against Jango’s hip. The jetii did have incredibly long legs. Jango raises an eyebrow at him in question.

“You have a border patrol colloquially known as the Sith hunt. How is that staying neutral?” Obi-Wan asks, a little incredulous. Jango goes blank-faced and tries not to smirk, but Obi-Wan only looks amused, so he can’t be that successful. He holds out for another couple of seconds, then he feels his lips twitch up in a sharp grin, but he doesn’t say anything.

When the civil war that ravaged the Mandalorian Empire for almost twelve years had finally ended, and Jaster had been elected Mand’alor, they had spent their time rebuilding their planet and their forces. So the Mandalorian Empire had stayed neutral and never strayed into Sith or Republic territory when the war started, but they had defended their borders with enthusiasm.

War, as several clans and the Mand’alor had realized, when not fought in your backyard, was very profitable, and the Mandalorian Empire had prospered under Jaster’s rule. They had flourished in a way they hadn’t since the end of the Ruusan campaign when the Mandalorian Empire had gotten reestablished, and Mandalore had reclaimed its status as a powerhouse. As the war got worse, they had offered protection to the surrounding sectors, and now the Empire had almost reached the same expanse as the old Mandalorian Empire during the Neo-Crusaders' time.

The Sith-Jedi War had raged for eight years at this point, and whenever the Sith fleet entered Mandalore space, the Mandalorian had opened fire and chased them out, destroying as much of the Sith fleet they could on the way. The Mando’ade had never quite forgotten nor forgiven the way the Sith had manipulated not only Mand’alor the Ultimate into declaring war on the Republic and then later using Mand’alor the Lesser to do the same. The patrol route that bordered the Hutts and the Sith Empire had begun to be known as the hunting grounds, specifically the Sith hunting grounds.

The Mandalorians held no love for the Republic either. Still, Mand’alor Mereel had, on the urging of several of the clans that were tired of war, ordered the army not to antagonize the Republic, and they had complied. Whenever a Republic ship entered Mandalorian space, they usually hailed them and gave them an hour to get the hell out of their space before they started firing.

“No comment.” Jango offers, and Obi-Wan tips his head back, laughing. When he finally stops, he takes another sip of his water and pulls a face. The atmosphere changes and Jango stays silent as he watches the jetii gather his thoughts.

“I was there, you know,” Obi-Wan says and glances up at Jango from under his eyelashes. “The first battle of Naboo.”

Jango places a hand on Ob-Wans calf and squeezed. “I’m sorry, I heard many Jedi died there when the Sith Empire broke the Second Treaty of Courosant.” But Obi-Wan only shakes his head.

“Not the first Battle of the War, but the Naboo Invasion.” He explains. “With the Trade Federation.”

Oh. Jango grimaces. That whole invasion had been a shit show. No one had known that the Trade Federation was allied with the Sith Empire, but there had been accusations leveled at the Sith afterward, and it had slowly escalated until the war had started five years later. The only reason the treaty had lasted that long after the failed invasion was because of the diplomacy and grace provided by the Chancellor and the Queen on Naboo.

“I’m just so tired of the fighting,” Obi-Wan says.

“The war is almost over,” Jango said. And he was almost right.

\--

Cody didn’t know what to expect when he had been dispatched to pick up Jango and a Jedi High General, but he had not expected to see Ben again. The look on Jango’s face when he realized that they knew each other was almost good enough to make up for the ribbing this was going to cause him.

“You remember my trip to Taris and the smuggling ring I busted up?” Cody asks a narrow-eyed Jango.

“You didn’t mention General Kenobi.” Jango shoots back, and Cody glances at said Jedi. Kenobi looks slightly sheepish.

“I was on leave.” Cody settles on. “It did not seem relevant to mention who I spent it with.” He watches in fascination as Kenobi’s ears go red and Jango shifts his feet. Cody glances between them quickly and tries to smother a grin. It would be unprofessional to laugh at Jango. After all, he is a senior officer, and Cody is one of the youngest Generals in the army at the tender age of 29. He doesn’t need anymore speculation that he got the rank because he is a Fett. Cody got his rank because he is the best and he trusts his instincts, and right now, his instincts are screaming at him.

“I brought you a chair.” Cody gestures at the hoverchair he brought for Jango. There is a silent staring match between Jango and Kenobi before Jango huffs and sits down. There are bloody footprints on the floor where he was standing, so this was probably for the best. The trip to the medbay goes slow, Cody should have brought a second chair for Kenobi, but they spend it making small talk and filling in Jango on their meeting on Taris.

When they get to the medbay, the medics whisks Obi-Wan away, and Cody wheels Jango towards a bed.

“How’s everyone?” Jango asks as he settles on the bed, and Cody considers the question.

“You heard about Arla?” When Jango nods, Cody moves on. “Jaster is fine, and Boba is a terror, as usual, so everything should be alright.”

“Good.” Jango smiles, and his sholders loosen. “I’m gonna sleep now.”

Cody snorts. “You are getting old.”

“Careful there, cousin. Arla is older.” Jango opens an eye to smirk at him. “Both of us might be too old to be Mand’alor when Jaster stands down, and Bobba is too young. That leaves you as the next in line.”

“No,” Cody levels a threatening finger at Jango. “No fucking way.”

Jango grins at him, and Cody decided that retreat is the best option. He leaves the medbay with Jango’s laughter filling his ears.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someone asked about age and timeline, and I tried to answer in the chapter, but in case it was unclear. This chapter happens in 22 BBY. Obi-Wan is 36, Anakin 22, and Jango 44. 
> 
> For the timeline of the war, here is a short summary  
> In (ca) 120 BBY there was the Second Treaty of Coruscant, and like the first one it split the galaxy between the Republic and Sith Empire, but this time there was also the Mandalorian Empire and the Hutts, so it was split in four. The republic in the core, Nal Hutta and the surrounding area for the Huts, and the two Empires on either side of Hutt Space.
> 
> There was a new cold war, until the Invasion of Naboo in 32 BBY. Qui-Gon was killed and Obi-Wan cut Maul in two as in cannon. 
> 
> Five years later in 27 BBY, the tension had escalated and the war broke out when the Sith Empire took Naboo and started expanding. There are no clones in this war, and the Sith are not that reliant on droids. 
> 
> Think more Old Republic and watch the video to see the Sacking of Coruscant. It's so fucking good.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdgmH9Vv2-I


	3. I’m not sure what I’m denying

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi-Wan spends almost 24 hours in the bacta tank after the medic, who had introduced herself as Clarrc Fleek, are done going over his injuries. There had been an interesting moment when he had reacted badly to the drugs they had given him and Clarrc had planted herself by Obi-Wan’s bedside with a datapad in hand to go over his medical file.
> 
> It had taken almost an hour and by the end, Clarrc had still not been satisfied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has been kicking my ass for what feels like weeks and I'm still not satisfied with it, but I just need to get it out of my head and move forward. Although, there are some lines in this I'm warry happy with.
> 
> Enjoy.

Obi-Wan spends almost 24 hours in the bacta tank after the medic, who had introduced herself as Clarrc Fleek, are done going over his injuries. There had been an interesting moment when he had reacted badly to the drugs they had given him, and Clarrc had planted herself by Obi-Wan’s bedside with a datapad in hand to go over his medical file.

It had taken almost an hour, and by the end, Clarrc had still not been satisfied. 

“We are not done with this,” Clarrc promised and points threateningly at him as Obi-Wan was lowered into the tank. “I don’t want to be the one to tell Alor’aan that I accidentally killed his favorite Jedi.”

The grin on Obi-Wan’s face was hidden by the breathing mask, but Clarrc still glares at him, so his amusement must have been visible on his face. 

When Obi-Wan gets pulled out the next day, he feels much better, and Clarrc is, if not happy, she is at least satisfied with the result. 

“Alor’aan Fett asked to be informed of when you were out of the tank,” Clarrc doesn’t look up from where she is looking over Obi-Was’s blood work. “You up for having dinner with him?”

Obi-Wan blinks and glances down on himself. “Do I get clothes at least?” 

Clarrc looks up to meet Obi-Wan’s eyes. “If you don’t want to, I will tell him no.” 

They study each other for a moment before Obi-Wan smiles at Clarrc. “If you can find me some clothes and a fresher, I will be happy to have dinner with Jango.”

The edge of Clarrc’s mouth twitches, and she turns to yell at one of the Mandalorians at the door.

After a shower and shave, Obi-Wan is shown into the officers’ mess where Jango is waiting at the table for him. Obi-Wan thanks the soldier that had escorted him here and takes the seat opposite Jango. 

“You clean up nice,” Jango lets his eyes trail over Obi-Wan. “Blue really is your color.”

Obi-Wan raises an eyebrow at that. The clothes he has been given are cut in the traditional Mandalorian style. If he is not misremembering, the shirt's color is the same as the color on the trim of Jango’s helmet, with brown pants matching the color of the one Jango’s wearing now.

Whatever Obi-Wan was going to say in response gets derailed by a polite cough, and when he turns, he is met by a longsuffering Cody and a slightly red-faced blond Mandalorian. 

“Is this a good time?” Cody looks back and forth between them. “Or should we come back later?”

Obi-Wan glances at a smirking Jango, and somehow he can keep the amusement out of his voice. “Please, have a seat.”

The two of them sit down, Cody by Obi-Wan, and the blond, who introduced as Rex, sits by Jango.

Nodding in greeting at Rex, Obi-Wan tilts his head to study the blond. The name rings a bell, but from where? It takes a second, but when he makes the connection, he lifts a hand to hide his grin

“Captian Rex Fett?” Obi-Wan asks, and all three of them look at him. 

“Yes,” Rex blinks at him in confusion. The answer had come out more like a question.

“I believe you met my former Padawan a couple of years ago,” Obi-Wan says, still trying to keep his grin hidden. “Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker?”

Rex blinks and then shudders when he remembers the incident. “Yeah, he and his Padawan threw me off a dam.”

“He what?” Cody asks, voice rising.

“That does sound like Anakin,” Obi-Wan agrees, stroking his beard. “Most of his plans involve falling.”

Rex huffs at Obi-Wan and turns to an incredulous Cody. “He jumped after me seconds later, and he did catch me before I hit the ground.”

“That does not make me feel better.” Cody runs a hand over his face. “Kriffing jetiise.”

“I have no idea where he gets it from, this jumping off cliffs without a plan.” Obi-Wan meets Jango’s gaze. “I have always been a fan of the high ground myself.”

Jango raises an eyebrow at him. “You are aware that we get regular reports of what happens in the Sith-Jedi war? We know what tactics you employ against the Sith.”

Obi-Wan smoothers his grin the best he can and makes a dismissive gesture. “Rumors and speculations.”

“Kriffing jetii.” Jango huffs and shoves a plate of food at Obi-Wan. 

“Eat.” He orders and Obi-Wan does. He has not eaten anything solid in what feels like forever, so he takes it slow. Obi-Wan is sure that Clarrc will have his hide if he returns to the medbay in any way a worse condition than when he left.

The conversation slows down as they eat, and Obi-Wan takes the time to study the mess hall and the people in it. There is a stark difference from the Negotiator. The crew here is not downtrodden or tired. They are laughing and joking with each other. Obi-Wan can not remember the last time he saw his own people this relaxed and comfortable onboard a ship that was on the outer rim.

“How are you holding up?” Cody asks, and Obi-Wan turns his attention back to the table.

“I’m feeling better, thank you.” Obi-Wan sees Jango and Rex glance at each other in disbelief out of the corner of his eye. Apparently, the shower and a shave did not hide that he is still tired and, if no longer in pain, he is still not back at 100%. 

“I heard Clarrc had a heart attack when you reacted badly to the drugs she gave you.” Cody continues, and Obi-Wan grimaces.

“Yes, well.” Obi-Wan turns back to his food. “We had a small communications issue.” 

When the conversation fails to move on, he huffs and explains. “I’m Stewjoni.”

The Mandalorians blinks, Obi-Wan can clearly see the family resemblance at that moment, and then they all make a sound of understanding. 

“The metabolism problem,” Rex says, and Obi-Wan nods in agreement.

“This explains how you were able to drink that pirate under the table,” Cody mumbles.

“I’m a man of many talents,” Obi-Wan confirms.

“Really?” Jango asks and leans forward over the table. “What kind of talents?” 

It’s probably not the words that make Rex freeze and look beseechingly at Cody, but the tone of Jango’s voice. Obi-Wan feels the tingles of anticipation shoot through him, not unlike the feeling of jumping off a LAAT/i with only the Force and his own reflexes to catch him. 

“I can show you,” He matches Jango’s posture and lets his own voice drop down into a purr. “If you have the time?” 

They smirk at each other, and Jango looks ready to take Obi-Wan up on the offer when Cody speaks up, perhaps a little louder than necessary. “Have you been to Manda’yaim before?” 

Obi-Wan keeps his eyes locked on Jango for another second, then sits back and turns to look at Cody. “No, not on the planet proper.”

Rex frowns. “You have been in the Mandalorian sector before?” 

“Once or twice.” Obi-Wan hums non-committedly.

“Taris doesn’t count,” Cody adds while studying him, but Obi-Wan only raises an eyebrow at him in answer. 

“Of course not.” He agrees. “Taris is not in the Mandalorian sector.”

“When?” Jango taps his knuckles against the table in thought, and Obi-Wan turns to look at him, but Jango is looking into the middle distance.

Taking a second to consider the question, Obi-Wan takes a sip of his water. The mission was not secret, but he was not sure how much was known by the Mandalorians and how much trouble it would bring down on him or others. 

“I spent about a year in the sector during the last years of the civil war.” Obi-Wan offers.

Jango blinks and focuses on him again. “You were one of the Jedi protecting Satine Kryze.”

Obi-Wan carefully doesn’t freeze up or react in any other way, but he keeps a close eye on Jango as he sets his glass down. “Oh? What makes you say that?”

The grin Jango levels at him are, perhaps, a tad predatory. “You do not deny it?”

“I’m not sure what I’m denying.” Obi-Wan retorts.

“Did you or did you not spend a year running around the sector with Duchess Kryze,” Jango leans over the table again, keeping his eyes locked with Obi-Wan’s. “Like one of those dashing heroes in a romantic holo drama?”

Biting his tongue, Obi-Wan forces a grin. “You think I look dashing?”

The mission with Duchess Kryze is not one he wants to talk about, and Jango must see something of it on his face because Jango tilts his head in confusion at Obi-Wan’s avoidance of the question. 

“You are something alright,” Jango says, and he lets his eyes hold Obi-Wan’s for a second longer before he turns to ask Rex a question. If either of the brothers finds the shift in topic odd, they don’t comment on it.

Obi-Wan takes a second to get his emotions under control. The assessment of the mission with Satine being a romantic holo drama came a little too close to the truth, except that their relationships had ended more like a tragedy. Obi-Wan smiles wryly to himself at that thought. That was a little too dramatic, even for him.

\--

The dinner ends, and Jango stands up to walk Obi-Wan back to the med bay.

“How are you really holding up?” Jango asks when they have walked in silence for several minutes.

“I’m doing better.” Obi-Wan crosses his arms. “When are we arriving at Manda’yaim?”

“We will arrive in the system tomorrow morning.” Jango stops and lays a hand on Obi-Wan’s elbow to stop him. They stand in silence for a second before Jango continues. 

“Kryze and I,” Jango starts and pulls a face Obi-Wan is intimately familiar with. “We are friends, of a sort.” 

Obi-Wan searches Jango’s face. “Is she still a pain in the ass?”

Jango smirks at him. “Yes, I never have a moment of peace with her on planet.”

Snorting, Obi-Wan lifts a hand to rub at his eyes. “That sounds like her. Always up for a debate.”

Jango nods in agreement, but he squeezes Obi-Wan’s elbow, and Obi-Wan drops his hand to look at him. “I was curious to hear the story about your mission from your point of view.” 

Obi-Wan takes in the implications of that statement and swallows. “Oh.”

Jango grimaces again. “I should have known better.” He drops his hand and places it on the Obi-Wan’s lower back to guide him forward. “Ni N’epar.”

The warmth from Jango’s hand feels good, and Obi-Wan lets himself be guided towards the med bay, but when they get there, Obi-Was stops and turns to look at Jango. “How are the Dutches doing?”

“She is doing fine,” Jango tells him, and then he glances at Obi-Wan out of the corner of his eye. “Kryze is,” here Jango hesitates again. “She is _dating_ a couple from Keldabe.”

Obi-Wan blinks at the stress at the word dating, and he raises an eyebrow at Jango, who explains further. “They have been dating for the last seven years, but if you ask her, they are just casual.”

“Ah,” Obi-Wan smiles. “I’m happy she is doing well.”

“Huh,” Jango says, and Obi-Wan glances at him in question. “You mean that.”

“Of course,” Obi-Wan agrees, and the look in Jango’s eyes makes him avert his eyes. “Will the Dutches be in Keldabe?”

“No, Kryze mostly stays on Kalevala. After her father retired, she took over running the local government there,” Jango explains. 

Obi-Wan never met Duke Kryze but is he is half the Mandalorian his daughter is, he must be one hell of a Mando.

“When we drop out of hyperspace, will there be time to send a message to the Jedi Council?”

Nodding, Jango looks to the side and considers the question. “We will send a message and request a meeting.”

“We?” Obi-Wan raises an eyebrow at him.

“Yes,” Jango looks up at Obi-Wan and smirks. “I was serious about having a closer relationship with the Republic.”

Jango’s hand has shifted and is now resting on Obi-Wan’s waist.

Smirking Obi-Wan meets his gaze. “How close are we talking?”

“Oh, you know how the saying goes. Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.” Jango offers.

“And what am I?” Obi-Wan asks. “Friend or enemy?”

Jango squeezes Obi-Wan’s hip and steps back, smirking at him. “Only time will tell.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a headcanon that Stewjon is highly poisonous and that everyone that can trace their family line back over ten generations is immune to most poison, and that they have a higher metabolism. There will be no more mention of it in the fic, but I have a mental image of Obi-Wan knowingly drinking poison and commenting on the lack of quality to his would-be killers. 
> 
> Please just ignore this, I will never mention this again


	4. Welcome to Mandalore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When they drop out of hyperspace, Obi-Wan and Jango head towards the shuttle bay to meet Cody and Rex.
> 
> "I hear you will not be joining us on Mandalore," Obi-Wan looks between the two brothers.
> 
> "No," Cody agrees. "Rex has had enough of you and Jango for a lifetime, so we will be heading elsewhere."
> 
> "I see," Obi-Wan glances at Jango in amusement as Rex hits Cody in the arm. Jango only rolls his eyes and heads into the ship they will be using to get to Mandalore. It is the same one that they used to escape, and from what Obi-Wan has gathered its Jango's ship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please ignore any and all spelling and /or grammar mistakes.

When they drop out of hyperspace, Obi-Wan and Jango head towards the shuttle bay to meet Cody and Rex.

"I hear you will not be joining us on Mandalore," Obi-Wan looks between the two brothers.

"No," Cody agrees. "Rex has had enough of you and Jango for a lifetime so we will be heading elsewhere." 

"I see," Obi-Wan glances at Jango in amusement as Rex hits Cody in the arm. Jango only rolls his eyes and heads into the ship they will be using to get to Mandalore. It is the same one that they used to escape, and from what Obi-Wan has gathered, it's Jango's ship.

"We fixed as much as we could, but I recommend you have it checked out on Manda'yaim," Cody calls after him as he rubs his shoulder and glares at Rex. "It should be fine for short flights, but avoid hyperspace."

"Hopefully, we will have no need for that," Obi-Wan smiles at them and, after a short goodby, follows Jango into the ship. He heads up to the pilot seat and sits down, and seconds later, they take off.

"It's a beautiful planet," Obi-Wan comments as they enter the atmosphere, and it really is. Obi-Wan has never gotten a good look before. His time in Mandalorian space has always kept him on the outskirts of the Empire.

Jango hums in agreement. "The view is spectacular." 

Obi-Wan glances over and finds that Jango is already looking at him, and Obi-Wan can feel his heart speed up. "Eyes up front, Jango."

"I can multitask," Jango counters, but he complies and focuses back on the panel in front of him. "I'm not gonna crash."

"I have heard that before," Obi-Wan says, and when Jango makes a questioning noise, he explains. "Anakin is a former pod racer, and according to him, any landing you could walk away from was a good landing."

The comment makes Jango laugh, and Obi-Wan feels his face softens as he watches Jango. _Oh, dear._

"My apologies to you and all the ships he has crashed," Jango says when he finally calms down. "I'll refrain from doing any air acrobatics over Keldabe then."

Obi-Wan blinks, clears his throat, and turns his attention back to the planet in front of them. "That would be much appreciated," Obi-Wan agrees, and the rest of the trip down goes smoothly. And if Jango takes the time to go an extra round over Keldabe, well, Obi-Wan isn't going to call him out on it. The view is spectacular.

Obi-Wan expects Jango to land the ship at the main airport. But after a quick turn over Keldabe, he steers the ship to a building a couple of miles outside the city and sets down on the landing pad. 

At Obi-Wan's questioning look, Jango explains. "Keldabe is an ancient city, and it's already packed. So when the old Mand'alors wanted to build a command center for the Empire, they had to build it on the outside of the city."

Jango stands up and heads back to lower the ramp. "The Clans still operate mostly independently, but we needed a central headquarters for the military and administrations when the Empire kept expanding."

Obi-Wan walks up to him and crosses his arms. "Sounds reasonable."

The comment makes Jango snort. "If you know anything about Mandalorians, you know we are the exact opposite of reasonable. There was one hell a fight about where and how this building was supposed to be built." 

"A literal fight?" Obi-Wan asks. 

"Probably." Jango grins at him, and then he blinks in surprise at the man walking towards them. "Jaster," he murmurs, but his lips are tilted upward.

Jango walks down the ramp, and Obi-Wan follows him. The man waiting for him pulls Jango into a hug, and Obi-Wan takes a second to study Mand'alor Jaster Mereel. He is wearing full armor, sans helmet, and he cuts an impressive figure. The armor is the same silver as Jango's, except the shoulder plates are read as is his cloak. And where's Jangos flight suit is blue, Mereel's is a dark gray, almost black.

"Jango," Mereel says as he lets him go. "Good to have you back."

"It's good to be back," Jango lets go and turns to Obi-Wan. "Buir, this is High General Obi-Wan Kenobi. Obi-Wan, this is Mand'alor Jaster Mereel."

Obi-Wan takes the offered hand, and they shake. 

"It's good to meet you, Mand'alor."

"Likewise, General." Mereel looks Obi-Wan up and down, and then he turns to look a Jango, eyebrows raised.

Jango crosses his arms. "What?"

"Nothing," Mereel grins. "Now go and find Myles. There is paperwork for you to go through, and Boba asked me to have you call him when you got here."

Jango narrows his eyes at Mereel. "Boba is supposed to be here."

"You went missing," Mereel points out. "Did you think he was going to sit back and wait for you to get back?"

"Then where is he?" Jango asks, and Mereel smirks at him.

"He went with Arla to Telos."

Dragging his hands down his face, Jango groans. "Of course, Arla took him with her."

"What did you expect," The amusement in Mereels voice is apparent for everyone to hear. "Now, go. Find Myles and call your son."

Jango hesitates and glances at Obi-Wan, and Mereel does the same. "Do you need to contact the Jedi Order?"

"No," Obi-Wan answers. "I recorded a message for them on the way here, and Cody should have sent it before jumping back into hyperspace." Obi-Wan glances at Jango. "I expect them to call back within the next 24 hours."

"Ah, yes." Mereel crosses his arms. "Jango's new project. Open diplomatic relations between the Empire and the Republic." 

"Are you opposed to the idea?" Obi-Wan folds his hands behind his back and sets his feet. The message he had sent to the Council had included an outline of Jango's proposal. He was sure the Order would take it to the Senate, but if the Mand'alor was against it. Well, Obi-Wan was ready for a fight. It is not for nothing that he was called the Negotiator.

Mereel studies him, and then he snorts. "No, I'm not against it." He glances at Jango and then back at Obi-Wan. "But it's going to be a lot of hard work."

"I'm sure we are all up for the task," Obi-Wan tells him, and Mereel only grins wider.

"Good to know," Mereel looks back at Jango. "You still here? Go, I'll make sure General Kenobi is comfortable."

Jango narrows his eyes at Mereel but steps in close to Obi-Wan. His face softens as he places a hand on Obi-Wan's elbow, and the warmth of his touch spreads through Obi-Wan. When he meets Jango's eyes, he can see the same heat there.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he promises.

"Tomorrow then," Obi-Wan murmurs in agreement and lifts his hand to grasp Jango's forearm. Jango squeezes his elbow and lets his hand drag down to hold Obi-Wan's hand. 

He is not sure how long they stand there, but when Jango finally steps back and walks away, Obi-Wan can't quite pull his eyes away from his back. 

"Yeah, this is going to go great." Mereel comments, and Obi-Wan turns to raises an eyebrow at him, hoping the heat he feels at his neck isn't visible. "Now, come on. We need to find you some new clothes."

"Is there something wrong with what I'm wearing?" Obi-Wan asks as he falls into step with the Mand' alor.

"No," Mereel glances at him. "But you want new ones, yes?"

Obi-Wan blinks and looks down at the clothes he is wearing. It's the same brown trousers and a blue shirt as before. "I suppose so."

Mereel brings Obi-Wan to the quartermaster, where they pick up clothes, food, and a comm unit for Obi-Wan to bring to his room. Afterward, Mareel gives him a quick tour of the facilities, but it getting late, so Mereel brings him to the guest quarters. 

"You need anything, Jango's number is in the comm unit," Mereel explains. "You are allowed to leave and walk about, but please don't."

Obi-Wan looks at Mereel, who grimaces. "You're a Jedi. I can't guarantee that none of my men won't take umbrage to your presence."

"I'll keep that in mind," Obi-Wan agrees. They say goodby, and Obi-Wan goes to bed.

\--

Knocking on Obi-Wan's door, Jango rechecks his comm. He had gotten a message five minutes ago that the Jedi Council was on hold and that they wanted to talk to their missing Jedi Master. It was too early in the morning for Jango's taste; he had been sleeping when the message came in. He had sent Obi-Wan a message, but who knows if he was even up at this hour.

"Good morning," Obi-Wan says as he opens the door.

"Good morning," Jango echoes. "You get the message?"

"Yes," Obi-Wan agrees and steps out of the room to let the door close behind him. Jango doesn't move, so they end up almost chest to chest.

"Did you sleep well?" Jango asks. He looks up to meet Obi-Wan's eyes, and somehow, it has never registered to Jango that the Jedi is taller than him.

Obi-Wan's eyes sparkle as he answers. "A little cold, but otherways I slept fine."

There are several answers to that, but Jango bites them down and gestures for Obi-Wan to walk with him. "We will have to fix that."

Its a statement and a promise.

\--

The holograms flicker's to life, and Obi-Wan blinks at the images.

"Master Kenobi," Mace is as stoic as ever, but Obi-Wan can read the relief in his eyes clear enough. "It's good to see you."

"Likewise, Master Windu," Obi-Wan answers. He straightens his shoulders and looks at Luminara, and with as much gravitas as he can muster, he bows to her. "Master Unduli, a pleasure as always."

"Master Kenobi," Luminara bows back with just as much gravitas and then places her hands behind her back. "I'm glad to see you in good health."

Obi-Wan smiles and copies her movements. "It seems that one of the many commonalities between the Jedi and Mandalorians is that their Healers is as competent as they are vicious."

"So, you are in good hands, then?" She asks, and Obi-Wan nods back.

"They have shown me every courtesy." 

Luminara glances at Mace and nods in confirmation. The silent by-play makes Obi-Wan smile.

Obi-Wan, Quinlan, and Luminara had all grown up in the creche together, and they had developed secret codes and ways to communicate under their Masters' noses. They had never expected that the codes would be useful as Jedi in the field, but they had been used more than once during a long negotiation or in a hostage situation. It seemed the Council had been worried he was being held against his will and had taken steps to ensure his safety. On that thought…

"Master Windu," Obi-Wan meets Mace's eyes. "Where is Knight Skywalker?"

Anyone else might not see it, but Obi-Wan knows all of Mace's tells, and he can see the pinching at the corner of his eyes. "Knight Skywalker is on his way to your location as we speak."

Translation; Anakin had been informed of what happened and immediately, and probably against orders, set course for Mandalore to "rescue" Obi-Wan.

"I see," Obi-Wan frowns. "When will he be here?"

"Four days," Luminara tells him, and Obi-Wan blinks in surprise. That was fast. Anakin must have been in the quadrant already.

"Alright," Obi-Wan murmurs, ho looks back at Jango and motion him to step into the wive of the holo. "Master Windu, Master Unduli, may I introduce you to Alor'aan Fett."

They all exchange greetings, and if they are not as warm as usual, well. The Jedi and the Mandalorians do have a complicated history.

"Did you deliver my proposal to the Senate?" Jango asks when all pleasantries are over.

"We did," Mace conforms. "It has been discussed, and they have asked us to deliver a response."

"Oh, dear." Obi-Wan murmurs and glances between them. "They did not take it well?"

"It could have been worse," Luminara tells him. "But cooler heads prevailed, and we have been authorized to help with the negotiations."

"There goes my vacation," Obi-Wan jokes and looks at Jango. "It seems we have work to do and not much time to do it."

Jango grins at him. "I do all my best work under pressure." 

When Obi-Wan looks back at the hologram, Mace has that pinched look again, and Luminara is exuding a level of serenity she only raches when she is highly amused.

"It seems Master Billaba was correct in her explanation of your talents to her Padawan," Lumina says. It takes a second for Mace and Obi-Wan to get what she is talking about, but when they do, Mace's lips twitch, and he glances at Obi-Wan, who hopes the blush is hidden by his beard.

"She can be incredibly insightful," Mace settles on, and Obi-Wan sends him a half-hearted glare.

"Let's get back to the issue at hand." Obi-Wan glances at Jango, who looks between the three Jedi in interest, and then back at Mace. "Would you send us the Senate's response?"

"Transmitting now," Mace tells him, and Jango steps forward to pick up a datapad. He hands one to Obi-Wan, and when the file is transferred, they both take a second to read it. It's not as bad as Obi-Wan had feard, but Jango makes a noise of disgust.

"They can't be serious?" Jango looks at Mace. "Complete demilitarisation?"

"It an opening gambit," Mace folds his hands and studies Jango. "They want to see how far they can push you."

"We will not be ordered around, and we will not be joining the Republic," Jango crosses his own arms and scowls. Obi-Wan takes a second to admire the view before he looks back down at the datapad.

"We will have to go through it all and see which points the Mandalorians would be willing to negotiate at and what is unreasonable bullshit." He offers, and Jango glances at him in surprise. Obi-Wan raises an eyebrow at him and huffs. "This is not the first time I have negotiated a treaty between the Republic and outside entities. My expertise will be at you're disposal."

Jango grins and holds his gaze. "I'll take full advantage then."

Out of the corner of his eye, Obi-Wan can see Mace rolls his eyes, but he can't muster the energy to care.

"Quinlan will be glad to hear that you are safe," Luminara says, and Obi-Wan feels all the blood drain from his face. He looks pleadingly at Luminara.

"I'm sure I can tell Quinlan of the mission on my own when I return." Obi-Wan offers, but Luminara only smiles serenely at him. 

"I'm sure you can," Luminara meets his eyes. He can see the amusement there and glee. "But we all know you dont always give all the details in your reports." She glances at Jango and then back at Obi-Wan. "And surely Quinlan would want all the details."

Obi-Wan closes his eyes and breaths out. There is no way he can talk Luminara out of talking to Quinlan, and he can already feel the endless jokes and initiations coming. He considers just staying here on Mandalore, but Obi-Wan disregards the idea. He has work to do.

\--

It's late into the night when Obi-Wan and Jango walk out of the communication center. After going through the document with Mace and Luminara, Jango had called in Mereel. And then there had been another round of discussions. There was another meeting scheduled for tomorrow; Mereel needed to discuss the proposal with his people, but neither Obi-Wan nor Jango was required to be there. 

Obi-Wan steps out of the elevator at the floor to his rooms, and Jango follows him out, so Obi-Wan stops at his door and looks back at him. "Yes?"

Jango looks up and meets his eyes. "Come to Keldabe with me tomorrow."

Obi-Wan blinks and considers his options. 

They have been flirting since they met, but to go on a date with Jango is a different matter entirely. And attachment has always been one of his biggest weaknesses.

He crosses his arms and looks back at Jango. Their eyes meet, and Obi-Wan can't look away. 

"Yes." Obi-Wan licks his lips, and Jango follows the motion with his eyes. "I would like that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Have any of you seen the Tumblr post about Caleb asking Depa why Obi-Wan is called the negotiator? And she answers; because the Council couldn't have a Jedi Master known as the Flirt.
> 
> Anyway, that's what Luminara means when she talks about Depa and her Padawan.
> 
> I couldn't help myself, I needed to add it to my story.


	5. Date Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to say thank you for all the comments on the last chapter. I feel like I say this at the beginning of every chapter, but I had at least 4 drafts and several rewrites of chapter 4, and it was a nightmare to get through. This chapter was much easier. 
> 
> Quick note. _Cursive means it's spoken in Mando’a ___

The streets of Keldabe are packed with people, and since it is market day, the little space that existed in the narrow streets of the city is gone, filled with stalls and vendors. Jango had parked their speeder by the river, and then he and Obi-Wan had entered the city on foot, crossing over the river using one of the many bridges. When Jango reached the streets, he used one of the many side alleys instead of navigating the main roads. Jango is walking through the city as if he was born here, but Obi-Wan keeps getting distracted.

When Jango has to turn back and go looking for his Jedi for the third time, he feels a little irate. He has called ahead to make a lunch reservation at one of the cantinas, and if they don't hurry up, he will lose the table. It's a good table, with a fantastic view of the river. And Jango might have pulled some strings to get it. He finally spots Obi-Wan standing by a stall haggling with a merchant... Mando'a? 

Jango blinks and looks at Obi-Wan with new eyes. The Jedi hasn't indicated that he knew the language, but clearly, he does, and quite well. Obi-Wan has a slight accent, but his pronunciation is good.

The merchant, a blue twi'lek in full armor but without a helmet, turns to greet him when Jango steps up close to Obi-Wan's shoulder.

"Alor' _aan Fett,_ " she says, and Jango nods back.

" _Su cuy'gar,"_ Jango reaches out, and they grasp each other's forearms. _"Tion gar gai?"_

 _"Ria,"_ she answers.

Jango looks at what Obi-Wan is haggling for and lifts an eyebrow. " _You are aware that_ ," Jango points at the long strip of armor Obi-Wan is holding, " _That headpiece is supposed to be wrapped around a lek?"_

 _"Thank you for your input, Jango. It was most helpful,_ " Obi-Wan gives the amused looking twi'lek a long-suffering look, as to say; see what I have to deal with? 

Ria twitches a lek at him in faux sympathy and grins at Obi-Wan, clearly stating that it is not her problem.

Jango decides to ignore the by-play and instead shoots a look at Obi-Wan's distinctly lekku laking head.

 _"It's not for me, it's for my-"_ Obi-Wan stops speaking and seems to be searching for the right words. He shoots an apologetic look at Ria and switches to Basic. "It's for my grand-padawan, Ahsoka."

Ria seems to follow the words easily enough. "Are they also twi'lek?" She is speaking in Basic, but she has a thick accent. 

Obi-Wan smiles, shakes his head, and switches back to Mando' a. _"No, she is Togruta. I know the fit won't be perfect, but do you know how hard it is to find good armor that fits with lekku and, in the case of Ahsoka, doesn't block the sensory capabilities of her montrals at the same time?"_

Obi-Wan doesn't wait for a response to the question. _"I used to humor Quinlan when he complained about Aayla. But he was right. It's kriffing impossible. But these are a good fit, flexible enough not to constrict, and the craftsmanship is exquisite."_

 _"You know,"_ Jango raises an eyebrow at Obi-Wan. _"When you are negotiating about prices, you're not supposed to praise the work."_

 _"The price is not the issue,"_ Obi-Wan retorts. _"No, this would have been a steal at twice the price. Speaking off,"_ Obi-Wan turns back to Ria. _"You really should raise your prices. This is quality work."_

Ria's lekku darkens, and she shrugs. _"There are not that many interested buyers."_

Jango leans forward to get a better look and blinks in surprise. The craftsmanship is exquisite. He might have to make some calls. This level of skill is going to waste here. _"If it's not the price, then what's the problem?"_

 _"I don't take Republic credits,"_ Ria shrugs apologetically.

Obi-Wan sighs and sets the armor piece down. _"My loss."_ He smiles at her and turns to look sadly at Jango. _"Shall we go?"_

Jango checks the time and sights. They are going to lose the table. _"I'll buy it."_

 _"Excuse me."_ Obi-Wan blinks at him.

 _"I'll buy it,"_ Jango smirks. _"And you'll owe me one."_

 _"Will I now,"_ Obi-Wan strokes his beard, but Jango can see that he is grinning. _"And how will I pay you back?"_

Jango reaches up and lets his fingers glide through Obi-Wan's fringe, pulling it away from his face and behind his ear. He can see Obi-Wan's eyes flutter and hear his breath catch. 

_"I'm sure we can figure something out,"_ Jango says.

Ria sighs and looks skyward, but Jango ignores her. He is too busy getting lost in Obi-Wan's eyes.

\--

It takes almost an hour to find the right pieces of armor for Ahsoka, and since she is still growing, the armor must be adaptable. Jango has opinions, and it turns out, so does Obi-Wan. They have a long, drawn-out debate about design, and it gets a little heated before they agree on the pieces. Ria packs up their things and hands them over to Obi-Wan while Jango pays her.

 _"What's your clan name?"_ Jango asks.

Ria grins at him, showing off her fangs. _"Goran."_

 _Blacksmith._ Of course, he thinks and grins back, but Jango marks down her name for future reference. He will make sure to mention her to Myles.

"Where are we headed?" Obi-Wan asks, shifts the bag with the armor in his hands and looks expectedly at Jango. The reservations are lost, but the smile on Obi-Wan's face is worth it.

"Let's go to _Chortav Meshurkaane_." Jango suggests. There's a square with food stalls at one end of the street. It's not the fancy lunch he had planned, but Jango can improvise. 

He reaches out and takes Obi-Wan's hand. The Jedi lifts an eyebrow at him, but he doesn't otherwise react, so Jango grins and steps into his personal space. "I wouldn't want to lose you again."

"No need to worry, my dear," Obi-Wan leans down until their faces are inches apart and smile softly at him. "I'm most assuredly caught."

An intensive wave of want hits Jango on the chest like a missile.

No. He licks his lips and turns away to lead Obi-Wan down the street. This date is going to happen, come hell or high water. He has a plan, and he is going to go through with it. 

Obi-Wan entwines their fingers, and Jango glances back to meet Obi-Wan's amused gaze. It's going to be a long day.

\--

Obi-Wan takes another bite of the meat Jango handed him and glances around the square. There are merchant stalls and people all over the place, and there seems to be no organization in how it's set up. Not unlike the city itself. If there was any effort put into city planning, Obi-Wan can't see it. The strategist in him wants to weep at the thought of taking the city by force. He eyes the rooftops and the narrow and disorganized streets. That might be the point. 

"What are you thinking about?" Jango asks.

"How irritating it would be to invade Keldabe." Obi-Wan answers and takes a drink of his shig. When he gets no response from Jango, Obi-Wan turns to look at him.

"Should I be worried?" Jango asks. 

"No," Obi-Wan chuckles and meets Janog's amused gaze. "I very much like the city the way it is."

"Yeah?" Jango smirks. "Getting attached?"

Obi-Wan feels his heart stutter, and he takes a startled breath. There's no way Jango knows how that word is used in Jedi philosophy, but Obi-Wan can practically hear Qui-Gon in his head; _Mind your feelings, Obi-Wan. Attachment is your greatest weakness._ But Jango doesn't seem to catch the movement. 

"Come on. There is something I want to show you." Jango says. Obi-Wan takes a second to calm his heart and then finishes up his meal. He drains his shig and follows after Jango.

Sometimes, when Obi-Wan wasn't paying attention, the sun now hangs low in the sky. The shadows have gotten long, and the street lights have been turned on, but Obi-Wan recons they got another half an hour before the sun disappears behind the horizon. 

As they walk down the streets, Obi-Wan recognizes the buildings; they are almost back at the bridge they used to cross the river. Right before they reach the bridge, Jango goes left down an alley into a dead-end. 

"Are you sure I'm not the one who should be worried," Obi-Wan jokes, and he looks around as he stops at the mouth of the ally. The buildings on each side loom over them, but the end wall is barely taller than Obi-Wan.

"Don't you trust me?" Jango counters. 

"Sure," Obi-Wan steps in and walks up to Jango. "But the last time I met up with someone in a dark alley, it was with Ventress, and I didn't walk out unscathed."

Jango raises an eyebrow and opens his mouth, but appears to think better of it and shuts it again. Obi-Wan crosses his arms and watches in amusement.

"I promise this will be worth it," Jango says and turns to the wall, takes a couple of steps back, and takes a running leap at it. He pulls himself up the wall and looks down at Obi-Wan. "You need a hand?"

Raising an eyebrow at him, Obi-Wan jumps, and with a slight push of the Force, he clears the wall and lands on his feet next to Jango, who grumbles about showoffs.

Obi-Wan looks around and realizes they are standing on the outskirts of someone's garden, but they don't stay for long. Jango leads Obi-Wan across the square and over a second wall. 

"Are we allowed to be here," Obi-Wan asks as they jump the third wall and onto the flat of a roof. He looks at the bulkhead for the staircase blocking the rest of the view and shoots Jango a look, which he ignores.

"Don't know, I haven't asked," Jango smirks at him. 

"How did you even find this place?" Obi-Wan asks as he turns to look back at the way they came. There is a pretty good view of Keldabe from here, so he takes a second to appreciate it.

"You were right earlier," Jango tells him, and his voice sounds somber. "This city is a nightmare to invade, but it's built for defense. During the civil war, Arla and I were charged with defending the city against Death Watch and others."

Jango steps up next to Obi-Wan, their shoulders brushing. "We learned this place inside out during that campaign. Blind and deaf, doesn't matter; I can find my way through this city."

They stand in silence, watching Keldab for a moment before Jango nudges Obi-Wan's shoulder. "Come on. We'll miss it."

"Miss what?" Obi-Wan asks. They round the corner, and Obi-Wan gets his answer. They are about three stories up, and from this vantage point, they have an excellent view of the river and the setting sun.

"Wow." Obi-Wan steps forward to the railing, and then he turns back to look at Jango. "It's beautiful."

Jango nods in agreement. He is looking out over the river and the sunset, but Obi-Wan got a feeling he is somewhere else.

"Jango?" Obi-Wan turns around fully and leans back against the railing. Jango blinks and looks at him, but he doesn't say anything. Then he gets a determined look in his eyes. Jango steps in close, and with the way Obi-Wan is leaning, it makes them almost eye to eye. 

They look at each other for a second, and then Jango reaches up and lays his palm against Obi-Wan's jaw. He runs his thumb over Obi-Wan lower lip and asks, voice low, "May I?"

Obi-Wan takes a moment to breathe and watch Jango before he answers, "Yes."

Their first kiss is barely a brush of lips, but Obi-Wan feels like he has been hit by lightning. Heat spreads through his body, from his fingertips to his toes. Obi-Wan's breath hitches, and Jango takes advantage of it to deepen the kiss.

Letting his own hands roam, Obi-Wan tries to hold on to something. One of them ends up resting low on Jango's back, the other on the back of his neck. Obi-Wan spreads his thighs and pulls Jango closer, and Jango goes where Obi-Wan directs him.

After what feels like forever, Obi-Wan has to pull away to catch his breath, but Jango keeps him close, resting their foreheads together. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Obi-Wan remembers Satine telling him about the cultural significance, but it feels like his brain has short-circuited, so he can't pull up the details. 

The thought of Satine brings up the memories of the last time he felt like this, and that thought startles a laugh out of him. He loved Satin, but does he love Jango? He doesn't need to search his feelings to know the answer to that question. But his last relationship ended when Satine couldn't ask him to leave the Order for her.

"Stay," Jango's voice breaks Obi-Wan out of his thoughts.

Obi-Wan jerks his head back in surprise, heart hammering. "What?"

"Shit, that's not-" Jango moves to take a step back, but Obi-Wan tightens his hold. They stop moving, and Obi-Wan lets his hands fall to Jango's hips.

"Jango," Obi-Wan looks away and licks his lips. "It was just a kiss."

"I thought Jedi were supposed to be self-aware?" Jango laughs. "If you think that was just a kiss, you are delusional."

Obi-Wan can't really say anything against that, but Jango isn't done talking. "But that's not-" He cuts off, the smirks fall away, and he starts again. "I meant to ask you to stay with me tonight."

"Oh," Obi-Wan looks down at where Jango is standing between his legs, his hands resting in Obi-Wan's thighs. He can feel Jango's eyes on him, and when he doesn't answer, Jango shifts his weight to move away.

"If-" 

"Yes," Obi-Wan cuts Jango off and looks up again to meet his gaze.

"Yeah?" Jango asks. He lifts his palm and rests it against Obi-Wan's cheek, letting his thumb trail over Obi-Wan's cheekbone this time. 

Obi-Wan turns his head to kiss Jango's palm. "Yes."

The smile Obi-Wan is rewarded with is breathtaking, and when Jango leans in to kiss him again, Obi-Wan feels the thrill of anticipation run through him. It's going to be a long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did it really take me over 10.000 words to get to the last scene? Yes. Yes, it did. Do I regret this? No. I do not.
> 
> Translate:
> 
> Alor'aan- General  
> Su cuy'gar- Hello (lit. You're still alive.)  
> Tion gar gai?- What's your name?  
> Goran- Blacksmith, metalworker  
> Chortav Meshurkaane- Gem-Cutter's Street


	6. How is this going to end?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New chapter, let's go!!
> 
> Edit: I had to change a sentence. I forgot that in this universe the war between the Sith and the Jedi has been going on for seven years, nor three. My bad.

Obi-Wan is looking through the bookshelf, killing time until Jango gets out of the fresher. They had eaten breakfast together, and then Obi-Wan had insisted on taking a shower. Alone. 

They had a meeting later with Jaster, where they would continue the discussion from the second day. That makes Obi-Wan pause. He has been here for four days already. That would mean that Anakin would arrive tomorrow afternoon, possibly earlier, knowing Anakin's piloting.

The door to the apartment slides open, and a mini Jango walks in. They both stop to blink at each other before Obi-Wan gathers his wits.

"You must be Boba," Obi-Wan says and smiles at the fourteen-year-old. "I'm Obi-Wan."

"The jetii," Boba crosses his arms. "Where is buir?"

"In the fresher," Obi-Wan tells him and takes a discreet look around the apartment, trying to see if they have left anything incriminating lying around. Thank the Force, they had decided to shower separately and that Obi-Wan had gotten adequately dressed. This encounter could have turned out really awkward otherwise.

He turns back to Boba, who is full-on scowling at Obi-Wan. Ah. Time for a strategic retreat.

"Remind me, where is the training ground?" Obi-Wan walks around the table to pick up his comm unit and his lightsaber. "I take the elevator down and then the first, right?"

Boba purses his lips and narrows his eyes at him. "First straight, then right."

"Of course," Obi-Wan nods in agreement. "Would you tell your father where I went?"

Boba scowls but nods in agreement, so Obi-Wan steps out the door to give father and son a moment alone. 

"It was nice meeting you, Boba," He smiles at him, and seconds before the door closes, he can hear Boba mumble a quick "you too."

\--

After getting lost only once, he finds the training grounds. Others are using it, but Obi-Wan finds an unused corner and gets started on the warm-ups. He hasn't had a good workout since before his capture, so he takes the time to stretch and warm up properly. Last night's activities did not help with his soreness.

He has worked up a good sweat and has moved on to katas when Jango and Boba walk onto the field and head towards him. They are both wearing full armor, helmets on, and that brings Obi-Wan up short. Jango had been wearing civilian clothes yesterday, so he straightens up to meet them head-on.

"The meeting has been pushed back" Is the first thing Jango says to him. "It will start later this evening."

"Too bad, I have been looking forward to turning in early tonight," Obi-Wan says and twirls his lightsaber. 

The move catches Boba's attention, and he speaks up. "Who do you think would win in a fight between you and buir?"

He raises an eyebrow at Boba and then glances at Jango. Obi-Wan smells a setup. "Isn't it obvious?" Both Mandos turn their full attention to him, and Obi-Wan has to fight to keep his grin down. "I would win. Easily."

Jango crosses his arms. "Really? Why is that?"

"There are several factors, of course," Obi-Wan smiles sweetly at an unimpressed Jango. "First of all, I'm younger than you, and therefore has better stamina."

"Didn't we prove yesterday that I can keep up with you just fine?" Jango shoots back.

Obi-Wan ignores the statement and looks back at Boba. "Second, I have spent the last seven years in active combat, and Jango has spent the last several years…" He trails off and levels his most superior look at Jango. "What have you been doing for the last couple of years? Sitting in a chair, directing traffic?"

There is a long silence before Jango turns to Boba. "Ask the others if we can use the field. I can't let this insult lie." 

Obi-Wan has a second of hesitation. Did he go too far? Then Jango turns to him and steps in close, voice teasing." Really? Are you calling me out? I'm not the one who couldn't even remember my own name last night." 

"Perhaps not, but I'm not the one who forgot that my son was gonna come home today." Obi-Wan raises an eyebrow at Jango.

"I didn't forget, Boba just came early." Jango protests. 

"Something he must have learned from his father, clearly," Obi-Wan says, putting as much Corusanti primness into his tone as he can.

There is a stunned silence before Janog burst out laughing. "Oh, I'm gonna enjoy beating your ass."

"If you can," Obi-Wan looks away and out on the training field that is being cleared off, with Boba leading the operation. He looks back to meet the black visor of Jango's helmet. He is even wearing his jetpack with the built-in missile launcher. "And don't act like this wasn't your plan all along. I told Boba exactly where I was going, and then you show up dressed for a fight. You are not subtle."

"Can't get anything past High General Kenobi, huh?" Jango says after a pause. "I'm not gonna go easy on you just because I have a soft spot for you."

Obi-Wan crosses his arms and brings a hand up to stroke his beard. It has the added benefit of shielding his mouth. "It wasn't that soft last night."

Jango reaches out, grabs Obi-Wan's elbow, and strokes his thumb back and forth. 

"Obi-Wan," Jango's voice is so soft, and Obi-Wan feels his heart melt. "I didn't-"

Boba comes running back, and whatever Jango was going to say gets cut off. "The field is ready, buir."

They step back, and immediately Obi-Wan misses Jango's hands on him.

"Good, then let's get started," Jango says. There is a significant crowd along the edges of the training field. Rumors must have spread fast. 

Obi-Wan takes up his spot at one end of the field, a little over ten yards away from Jango. 

"You setting your blaster to stun?" Obi-Wan asks and brings his lightsaber up in a traditional Soresu opening stance.

"No," Jango tilts his head. "Your lightsaber?"

"No," Obi-Wan doesn't bother to fight down his grin this time. "Whenever you are ready, my dear." He can feel the anticipation in the air, not only from the spectators but also from Jango. 

He eyes the distance between them, and at the same time, both Obi-Wan and Jango move. Jango brings his WESTAR blaster pistols up and starts shooting, trying to keep Obi-Wan at a distance. They must have had the same thought process; Jedi fight almost exclusively at short-range, but Mandalorians are more versatile, and they are lethal at all distances. 

Jango gets in a couple of shots that Obi-Wan deflects with ease, but he takes to the air when Obi-Wan gets too close. Obi-Wan has half a second to curse the existence of jet packs before Jango does a complicated aerial maneuver that brings him almost parallel to the ground. It takes Obi-Wan longer than it should before he realizes what Jango is doing, and then it's almost too late. 

The blast of the missile hitting the ground where Obi-Wan was standing only moments before knocks the lightsaber out of his hands, and the crowd lets out a loud cheer.

Obi-Wan rolls back up to his feet, but he doesn't get the time to go for his saber since Jango is dropping down at him, feet first. With a push of the Force, Obi-Wan jumps and meets Jango mid-air and kicks him in the chest. The force of the kick knocks Jango down, and on impact, Jango loses his grip on the blasters. The crowd hoots, and Obi-Wan grins. 

He doesn't give Jango time to think and tries another kick, but Jango gets up on his knees, turns, and catches Obi-Wan's foot and twists it. Following the movement, Obi-Wan twists, lands hard on his back and kicks Jango in the helmet with his other foot. The impact makes Obi-Wan miss his armor, most notably his boots.

The force of the blow knocks Jango straight on his back and gives Obi-Wan time to get to his feet, but so does Jango, who throws a punch that Obi-Wan catches. 

Obi-Wan throws a punch back at him, but Jango's armor catches most of it. He has forgotten how it feels to fight someone in full beskar armor, but he gets reminded as Jango headbutts him, and for a second, Obi-Wan can't see anything but stars. 

Luckily, Jango decides that going against a Jedi unarmed is a dumb idea, so he goes to grab the blasters he dropped earlier, and that gives Obi-Wan enough time to gather his wits and get to his feet. He reaches out with the Force for his lightsaber, and it comes flying at him. Obi-Wan hears the roar of Jango's jetpack, reaches out with both hands for the saber, and has to watch as both his hands are tied up in whipcord. He has just enough time to grip his lightsaber tight and mutter a quiet kriff before Jango fires up his jetpack, pulls him off his feet, and drags him face-first after him. To loud cheers from the gathered Mandalorians. 

Obi-Wan twists onto his back, grabs the whipcord, ignites his lightsabre, and shows the blade into the ground to slow his momentum. It works. He jerks to a halt, and it brings Jango crashing down into the ground. Obi-Wan spends half a second to get up and get his hands free, using the lightsaber, but it's enough time for Jango to get up as well and come at Obi-Wan, fist first. He barely reacts fast enough to bring his hands up to stop it, but in doing so, he drops his lightsaber. Obi-Wan is glad that Anakin is not here. He would never let him live this down. This weapon is your life, indeed.

The thought distracts him long enough for Jango to kick him in the chest, and he goes flying. Obi-Wan springs back up to his feet, but Jango is not advancing. That makes Obi-Wan pause, and he waits for Jango to move.

Jango rolls his shoulders, cracks his neck, lifts his hand, and makes a come at my gesture. It makes the crowd laugh and holler.

Obi-Wan picks up his lightsaber and twirls it in his fingers. So Jango wants to put on a show? He can be amenable. 

The grin threatening to break out is challenging to keep down, but Obi-Wan manages. This will be fun.

\--

Jango watches the Jedi go flying and uses the distraction to put more distance between them. He is very fortunate the helmet is hiding the grin on his face because Jango is pretty sure it is a little too bloodthirsty for a friendly spar. 

Obi-Wan springs back to his feet, and Jango waits until the Jedi faces him again before making his next move. The taunt doesn't make Obi-Wan react in any visible way, but Jango watches as Obi-Wan picks up his lightsaber and twirls it in his fingers. Then he looks up, and even though Jango is wearing his helmet, he swears Obi-Wan is looking him straight in the eyes as he holsters his lightsaber.

"You giving up?" Jango asks, heart in his throat.

"No," Obi-Wan grins and sets his feet. "But, I thought I would give you a fair chance." 

Someone in the crowded snickers, and there is a shift in the spectators. Jango is losing the favor of the crowd. Obi-Wan runs at him, and Jango draws his blasters and fires almost all on instinct. The idiot of a Jedi doesn't pull his lightsaber. He just brings a hand up, catches the blaster bolt with his bare hand, and disperses it. 

Jango blinks in surprise. It doesn't even slow him down. The surprise lets Obi-Wan get in close, and he brings his fist up for a punch. That brings the second surprise as Obi-Wan slips into a familiar stance, and Jango brings his forearm up to block it. Jango kicks at Obi-Wan's knee, but he twists away. It brings them back in close, and Jango throws a punch at Obi-Wan that the Jedi catch and uses to throw Jango over his shoulder in a very familiar motion. Kriffing hells.

Jango rolls away from Obi-Wan's follow up punch and gets to his feet. The crowd is now outright boiling in excitement, and the grin on Obi-Wan's face mirrors the one on Jango's face from earlier.

"Who in the Ka'ra thought you Mando'paru?" Jango all but shouts.

Obi-Wan has the audacity to shrug. "Oh, you know, you pick things up here and there."

Before Jango can continue interrogating him, Obi-Wan gets in close again, and Jango has to spend all his attention on the incoming strikes and kicks. The flurry of blows keep Jango on the defensive, but he knows Obi-Wan can't keep it up. Going barehanded in Mando'paru against someone in full armor is a bad idea, so Jango waits until he has an opening to then go full out. 

The time on defense gives Jango enough time to realize that not only is Obi-Wan quite proficient in Mando'paru, but he must have had several different teachers. What the kriff happened during Obi-Wan's last mission to Mandalore? Satine is going to have so much explaining to do the next time they see each other.

The moment for Jango to go on the offense comes, and he goes for it. Or would have, if he hadn't gotten interrupted.

"Oy, vod'ika," A familiar voice calls out. "Are you getting your ass handed to you by a Jedi?"

Jango stops, and after making sure Obi-Wan is not going to take advantage of the distraction, he turns to greet the Mandalorian heading towards him. 

"I was just about to turn the table on him." Arla walks up to him, and Jango pulls her into a hug. After they separate, he keeps her close, and voice low, whisper. "If you ever take Boba with you into battle again, I will skin you alive."

He can't see it through the helmet, but Jango is sure that Arla just rolled her eyes at him. "I'll keep that in mind." She switches over to the helmet comm and continues. "You need to go call Cody. He has info on the Sith."

"Aren't they about to lose this war?" Jango turns to glance back at Obi-Wan.

"Sure, but you know what they say," Arla squeezes his arm. "A cornered animal is the most dangerous."

Jango nods and gestures for Obi-Wan to join them. "Obi-Wan, this is my sister Arla. Vod, this is Obi-Wan. Be nice."

"I'm always nice," Arla protests and reaches out to grasp Obi-Wan's forearm. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Obi-Wan smiles at her and then looks at Jango. "I presume the spar is over?"

"Yes," Jango says. "Duty calls, but Boba will show you back to the room and keep you company."

Obi-Wan glances at Arla and then at Jango. "Mine or yours?"

Blinking, Jango looks at him in confusion before remembering that Obi-Wan actually has his own rooms here.

"You move quick, vod," Arla says, voice teasing.

Jango ignores her with practiced ease. "My rooms are always open to you."

"Manda, give me strength," Arla mutters and goes looking for Boba.

"I'll talk with Boba," Obi-Wan settles on, and Jango nods in agreement.

"Will you have dinner with Boba and me tonight?" Jango asks.

Obi-Wan smiles softly at him. "Yes."

"Buir," Boba jogs up to them, Alra following after. "You're leaving me with the Jedi?" He sounds incredibly put upon.

"I need to go make a call, and I need you to keep Obi-Wan company." Jango crosses his arms. Boba isn't backing down, and Jango can feel a fight brewing. Why in the Ka'ra did Boba inherit his stubbornness? Arla says it is good for him to be on this end of it, but Jango disagrees. He was never this bad. 

Luckily for all of them, Obi-Wan takes the air right out of the fight. "I was hoping we could stay here for a little longer. It has been too long since I practiced Mando'paru," Obi-Wan says, and Jango can almost see Boba zero in on the Jedi. Like a heat-seeking missile.

"Where did you learn Mando'paru?" Boba asks.

Obi-Wan folds his hands behind his back and smiles at Boba. "What are you most interested in, hearing the story or learning the moves?"

"What makes you think I can't fight like that already?" Boba counters, and Jango wants to sigh.

"Oh, I'm sure you know Mando'paru, but according to my teacher, she is one of the few left alive how still practiced this particular style." Obi-Wan raises an eyebrow at Boba. "How about this? You keep me company, and I will teach you the moves in the same way I was thought, and we will see if you recognize the teaching style?"

"Wait," Jango catches Obi-Wan's attention. "We know your teacher?"

"I do hope so, considering she is one of the Mandalore's closest advisors," Obi-Wan tells him and looks back down at Boba. "We have a deal?"

"Yes," Boba answers, and he heads out onto the field. 

Obi-Wan looks after him, then turns and steps in close to Jango. "Have fun at the office, dear." He then knocks his forehead against Janog's helmet and walks away.

"I-wait-" Jango is about to follow after him, but Arla grabs his arm and stairs him in the other direction.

"Come on, vod. You can be in love later." She says, and Jango glances at her.

"Aren't you interested to know who his teacher is?" he asks.

Alra snorts and lets go of his arm as they turn the corner to head down the hall to the elevators. "I already know. This is what you miss out on when you're too busy to join me for pedicure night."

"You have never gone for a pedicure with the Duchess." Jango protests.

Arla very deliberately tunes her head to look at him.

The lightbulb goes off in Jango's head. "You know his teacher ." 

"She never said mentioned his name, but the clues are all there," Arla confirms. They step into the elevator, and the door closes behind them. Arla must notice his mood because she adds on in a teasing voice. "Let's face it, Jango, you are not the first Mando to look at him and go; Mine."

"I didn't-"

"How is this going to end?" Alra asks, all teasing gone from her voice as she turns her head to looks at him. "Are you gonna ask him to leave the Order? Are you going to ask him to abandon his family in the middle of a war?" Arla doesn't give him time to answers. She presses on. "Or are you going to follow him to Coruscant?"

He tilts his head to look at her. "You know I can't do that."

"I know," Arla agrees. "But how is this going to end?" 

Jango has no answer for her. 

The elevator doors open, and Arla knocks their shoulders together as she walks out and into the meeting room. Jaster is already there, so is Myles, and on holo is Cody and Rex.

"What is the situation?" Jango asks. He removes his helmet and steps up next to Jaster, Arla on his other side.

"There has been a leadership change in Death Watch," Cody tells him.

"We already knew that," Alra reaches out and grabs a datapad. "We learned that on the mission to Telos."

"That's one hell of a euphemism," Myles mutters. "You took the planet."

Arla ignores him, as does Cody. They are all used to Myles grumbling. 

"Yes, but now we have confirmation that the new leader is a force user," Cody says.

"Sith?" Jaster asks.

"Red lightsaber, so he is either Sith or a rouge force user," Rex answers. 

Jango feels his eyebrows raise in surprise. "And they follow him? Willingly"

The brothers glanced at each other before Cody answers. "Yes."

"We know Death Watch is all about tradition, and you would think they have read a history book," Myles looks around at all of them. "It is never a good thing for Mandalorians to be lead by a Sith."

"No, it is not," Jaster agrees. "What do we know about him?"

"Not much. He might be a Zabrak," Rex answers.

"But we do know he is why you were captured on Telos, Jango," Cody says. "Our contacts heard about the shift in leadership and freaked out. They wanted to bring you to him as a peace offering, hoping he would overlook the fact that they have been informing on Death Watch for years."

"Of course they did," Jango rubs at his eyes. "Anything else?" There is a suspicious silence, and when he looks back at the holo, he meets Cody's steely gaze. "What?"

"According to our information, it's no coincidence that Kenobi was on the same ship as you," Cody grimaces. "He was supposed to be handed over to the new leader as well." 

"So General Kenobi has a history with the new administration," Myles muses. "Then, we just have to find out who has a problem with the General, and we will be golden."

Cody snorts at that, and when everyone looks at him, he rubs at the back of his head and explains. "That would be half of the galaxy, Myles. We need to narrow it down."

"How many Zabrak force-users could have a problem with Kenobi?" Arla asks. "It can't hurt to ask him?"

"I'll do it." Jango offers, but he can't help getting a bad feeling about this.

"Good," Jaster glances at his datapad. "The meeting with the Jedi has been rescheduled for tomorrow."

"Obi-Wan is set to leave tomorrow," Jango protests.

"I'm aware," Jaster glances at him in amusement. "The meeting starts tomorrow afternoon after he has been picked up, and we are gonna call on the Jedi Council for that meeting. Now," Jaster hands a datapad to Jango, "Let's finish up this meeting. I have other things to do, and I suspect so do you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are some sources I want to add here in the notes. (They are not necessary for enjoying the chapter, but it makes it better.)
> 
> I did not make up the word Mando'paru myself it's from the lovely fic Jate'kare  
> Mando'paru - short for Mando'akaan'paru - Mandalorian martial arts or Mandalorian combat forms
> 
> https://archiveofourown.org/series/1663015  
> Read the fic, it's so good!
> 
> The author also has a tumble where they talk more about Mando'paru  
> here: https://atelier-dayz.tumblr.com/post/617507434074963968/when-you-have-the-time-or-feel-up-to-it-could-you  
> and here: https://atelier-dayz.tumblr.com/post/617507458311733248/mandoparu-part-two
> 
> I also wanted to add this headcanon from this fic: A Distinct Lack of Mandalorian Mystique  
> https://archiveofourown.org/series/1602253  
> Especially story nr 5.
> 
> But too cut it short: it's about Mandalorian flirting, and how it's just like fighting. But when you are flirting you keep the fight clean. No shouts below the belt.
> 
> My headcanon time: (I couldn't find a way to bring it up naturally in the chapter itself, and trust me, I tried.)  
> Satine and Obi-Wan couldn't be open about their relationship during their time together. There were many reasons, but one of them was political. Satine couldn't bring home a Jedi as her partner and continue being the Clan Head. Not without losing the support of her clan and then it would tear itself apart, and take Kalevale with them. 
> 
> So when Jango starts the fight and he does keep the fight clean, in front of everyone, it's the same as telling all of them at Obi-Wan and him are together.  
> Not that Jango has been hiding, but Obi-Wan didn't expect him to be his open with it.
> 
> Jango wasn't going to use the missile launcher on Obi-Wan, he put it on more out of habit, but then Obi-Wan said what he said, and then Jango got competitive


	7. Never felt a feeling quite this strong.

An hour into the meeting, Jango sends a message to Boba and Obi-Wan, explaining that Jaster has delayed the meeting with the Jedi and that he would be stuck in command until late. He gets a short message back from Boba, asking him to be home by six for dinner, and luckily for him, the discussion ends about half an hour before the deadline.

Considering Duchess Kryze joined the meeting by holo halfway through, Jango is just glad he could get out of there before midnight. Whenever Arla and Satine end up in the same room, it always escalated into a full-blown fight. Not often a physical one, not that Satine wouldn't throw down if she needed to. Both Satine and her sister Bo-Katan had grown up in the bloodiest decade of the civil war, and it had been a brutal time. Even when Satine had become a pacifist, she knew how to fight because if you didn't learn how to defend yourself, you died.

The discussion had revolved around Death Watch and what to do about their new leader. Satine hadn't said anything about Obi-Wan's presence on Mandalore, but she had given Jango _a look,_ and he knew they would haveing words later on.

But for the moment, Jango hurries out of the meeting and down the hall. He is not worried per se, but Boba can be a handful, and he did leave him alone with Obi-Wan without warning.

The first thing he notices when he opens the door to his apartment is the smell. The heavy sent of tiingilar hits Jango's nose, and even at the other end of the room, the spices burn his nostrils. After stopping by his bedroom to remove his armor, Jango heads to the kitchen, where he finds Obi-Wan standing over a casserole with Boba hanging over his shoulder, offering up advice.

Jango blinks and blinks again.

"Are you making tiingilar?" Jango asks, and Boba spins around to face him.

"Buir! Tell him he is doing it wrong!" Boba strides up to him to grip his arm and drags him up to the pot. "Obi-Wan is put too much spice in it."

Jango opens his mouth, closes it, and shoots Boba a puzzled look. Tiingilar is a blistering spicy traditional Mandalorian casserole, and there is no way to put too much spice in it. Witch Boba should know.

"He is exaggerating," Obi-Wan turns to smile at Jango. "I had just as much red sauce as the recipe demands."

"Tiingilar doesn't have red sauce in it," Jango says and looks down into the pot in wonder/horror. 

Obi-Wan raises an eyebrow and looks down as well. "Ah, that explains it."

Fearing the answer, but knowing he needs to ask, Jango looks back up at the crazy Jedi, who he loves. "Explains what?"

"Well," Obi-Wan lifts a hand to stroke his beard. "Vhonte did say it was a regional variation of the dish."

"Vhonte?" Jango asks in disbelief and meets Obi-Wan's amused gaze. "Vhonte Tervho? You know-"

Jango cuts himself off and closes his eyes. Of course. She must have been the shabuir that took one look at a young Obi-Wan and decided that teaching a _Jedi Padawan_ Mandoparu was a good idea. The Tervho Clan would also be the only one crazy enough to add red sauce to a dish that already burned peoples' nasal passages.

"Alright," Jango rubs at his eyes. "When is the tiingilar done?"

"Half an hour," Boba pipes up, and Jango looks at him.

"Can you set the table and call Arla? She should be done arguing with Duchess Kryze by now." Boba huffs but does as Jango asks without complaint. For now.

While Boba finds the plates and sets the table, Jango helps Obi-Wan finish up the casserole and put it in the oven. 

"You talked to Satine?" Obi-Wan's voice is deceptible mild, and Jango glances at him.

"Yes, she was called into the meeting with Cody and Rex," Jango answers and leaned around the corner to see where Boba had disappeared too. He has pulled out a datapad and seems to be absorbed in whatever the kids do on the holonet these days, so they have a moment of privacy. "And we have some questions."

"About what?" Obi-Wan crosses his arms and leans his hip against the counter.

"Turns out, it was not coincidental that we both ended up on the same ship," Jango tells him, and Obi-Wan raises an eyebrow. "We were both on our way to be handed over to Death Watch." Obi-Wan makes a face, and Jango can't help but agree with the sentiment. "There has been a shift in the organizational chart at Death Watch. We dont know who the new leader is, but we know that he has a bone to pick with you specifically. We were wondering if you had any idea of who it could be?"

"Jango, I haven't been in Mandalorian space since I was seventeen," Obi-Wan smiles helplessly. "That is a long time to hold a grudge, even for Death Watch."

"True, but from what we can tell, the new leader is a force-user." Jango watches for Obi-Wan's reactions, and he is not disappointed. 

The smiles fall off the Jedi's face, and he straightens up to stand straight. "Sith? Death Watch is working with the Sith?"

"Red lightsabers, so we assume so." Jango answers.

"Lightsabers? Plural?" Obi-Wan looks down in thought. He looks to be wrecking his brain for an answer.

"Lightsaber staff, we think he might be a Zebrak," Jango says, and Obi-Wan looks sharply back at him. 

Something cold creeps over Obi-Wan's face before he pushes it down again. "Anything else?" Obi-Wan asks. Jango gets a bad feeling, but he puts it aside.

"We are short on info, but Rex got a report that he might be a cyborg from the waist down." Jango offers. The cold creeps back over Obi-Wan's face, and he turns to grip the kitchen counters. Jango freezes and keeps quiet. He doesn't know how the Jedi as a whole responds to touch in a trauma situation, but Mandalorians keep their distance. No one wants to put someone in the hospital accidentally.

"My apologies," Obi-Wan straightens back up and smiles vainly at him.

"Are you alright?" Jango asks, voice low.

"Don't worry," Obi-Wan runs a hand through his hair to smooth it back from his face. "I'm fine."

"Can I ask what happened?" Jango steps into Obi-Wan's personal space, and after getting a nod from Obi-Wan, he lays a hand on his hip. 

Obi-Wan keeps still for a second before he deflates and leans into Jango's chest. "Remember I told you that I was on Naboo during the Invasion?" 

After a moment of confusion, Jango recalls the conversation. "Yes."

Obi-Wan hums and pulls back. "The former Chancellor asked the Jedi to negotiate with the Trade Federation, and the Council assigned Master Qui-Gon and me to the mission." Obi-Wan grimaces and looks away. "Qui-Gon was killed by what we believed was a Sith Apprentice, a Zebrak, and after a fierce battle, I killed him."

Jango looks at him, and Obi-Wan continues. "He used a lightsaber staff."

Ah. The chance that the two of Zebrak's are the same is a slim one. 

"I cut him in tow at the waist, and he fell down a shaft. We never recovered a body." Obi-Wan says, and Jango suppresses the urge to curse out loud.

What was it Arla had asked? _How many Zabrak force-users could possibly have a problem with Kenobi?_

At the moment, Jango is hoping the answer was more than one.

"Myles suggested we use this opportunity to start working with the Republic," Jango says, trying to change the subject. 

"To take down Death Watch?" Obi-Wan considers the suggestion. "It's a good idea, especially since they now seem to be working with the Sith. The council will probably assign me to the mission, considering my knowledge of Death Watch and Mandalore." Glancing at Jango from under his lashes, Obi-Wan smirks at him. "Are you going to be assigned to the mission as well?"

Shaking his head, Jango smiles back, and at Obi-Wan's raised eyebrow, he explains. "After Boba was born, Jaster assigned me to Mandalore permanently. I am in charge of the defense of the planet and the training of the troops. The mission to Telos was an anomaly. I usually don't stray far from home."

"Then, who would lead the charge from your side?" Obi-Wan asks.

"Cody," Jango tells him, the frown that had been forming on Obi-Wan's face clears off. 

"Alright, I will suggest this to the Council at the first opportunity," Obi-Wan looks back at him. "It will have to be approved by the Senate, but I see no reason it would not go through."

"Good," Jango smirks and steps into Obi-Wan's personal space, backing the Jedi up against the counter. "Now, let's talk about something more interesting."

Obi-Wan laughs at him and leans forward to rest his forehead against Jango's. "Talk, hm?" He slides a hand over Jango's waist and down his back.

"Yes, I-" Jango starts but gets cut off by Arla bursting through the front door, ranting up a storm. Something about stubborn and hard-headed di'kuts. Groaning, Jango rests his head against Obi-Wan's collarbone. 

Obi-Wan laughs low in his ear, and that, combined with the fingers in his hair, makes Jango shiver in pleasure. "Raincheck?" He asks, and Jango hums in agreement. 

"Raincheck," Jango agrees, and after pressing a quick kiss to Obi-Wan's lips, he walks out to talk Arla down from getting on a ship and going to Kalevala herself.

\--

Dinner goes well in Obi-Wan's opinion, and for all that Boba complained about too much spice, he finishes two servings and almost a third. They have moved to the living room, and at some point, Arla went looking for the alcohol.

Obi-Wan is slightly drunk, so when Jango turns on the music and asks him to dance, he doesn't say no. Arla gives them an amused look but turns back to her conversation with Boba, something about jetpacks and flamethrowers.

The next song is a slow one, and Jango pulls Obi-Wan closer. They are swaying back and forth to the music instead of dancing, but Obi-Wan doesn't mind, especially when Jango starts singing along to the song.

 _"I've been thinking about this all day long,"_ Jango sings low in his ear, and Obi-Wan feels his stomach swoop. He blames the alcohol. _"Never felt a feeling quite this strong."_

Burring his face in Janog's neck to stop the laughter from breaking free, Obi-Wan can feel Jango radiate love and contentedness into the Force. The song comes to an end, and the new one starts up, but neither makes a move to separate.

"Thanks for the food," Jango says, voice low into Obi-Wan's ear.

"Your welcome," Obi-Wan shivers. "I can't get the ingredients to make it at the temple, so this was honestly my pleasure." 

Jango hums. Obi-Wan can feel him smile against his neck, and when Jango speaks, his voice has dropped several octaves. "Allow me to thank you properly."

"What did you have in mind?" Obi-Wan asks and pulls his head up to see Jango grinning at him.

"Oh, I have some ideas I think you might enjoy," Jango says and leans in to kiss him. Sinking into it, Obi-Wan lets himself enjoy the feeling. Losing himself in the sensation, Obi-Wan forgets that they are not alone in the room.

"Alright, that's it. First, the flirting at dinner, and now this," Arla throws her hands up and gets up. Obi-Wan blinks and looks at her, feeling a little dazed. "Boba, get your things. You are staying at my place tonight."

"YES! Are you going to show me how to use a missile launcher?" Boba asks, and Obi-Wan feels Jango freeze up as Arla and Boba walk out into the hall.

"No, Boba, you are not going," Jango shouts, but when he tries to move, Obi-Wan tightens his hold on him. 

Jango shots him a questioning look, and Obi-Wan lets go and, lowering his voice, asks. "Jango, how soundproof are your walls?" 

The question makes Jango pause. "Right, good point," he nods and follows after them. "But, I need to have a word with Arla about child safety."

Obi-Wan shakes his head and laughs. By the Force, he loves this man so much.

\--

Obi-Wan wakes up, confused as to why. There is a warm body resting against his back, and from what he can see, it's still dark out. He groans and turns his head back into the pillow.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," Jango says, voice low in the dark.

"Jango?" Obi-Wan turns over and opens his eyes to see Jango lying on his side, resting on his elbow. 

"What are you doing?" Obi-Wan asks, voice groggy.

"Thinking," Jango tells him.

Obi-Wan groans again and buries his head in Jango's chest. "Please don't, it's what? Two in the morning?"

"Closer to four," Jango corrects, and Obi-Wan pulls back to study him.

"Are you alright?" He asks.

Jango raises a hand and lets his fingers trail down the side of Obi-Wan's face. "I couldn't understand why Satine let you walk out of her life." 

"Jango…" Obi-Wan reaches up to take his hand, but Jango catches his hand instead and brings it up to place a kiss on his knuckles.

"If she loved you the way she claimed, how could she not ask you to stay," Jango says, voice somber, and Obi-Wan feels his throat close up.

"But I get it now," he mumbles into his skin, eyes locked on Obi-Wan's. "She couldn't ask you to stay, to give everything you have to her when she could not do the same for you."

Obi-Wan's breath catches, but Jango isn't done talking. "She has spent every moment since the civil war rebuilding Kalevala and, by extension, Mandalore. Satine has given everything off herself to her people. There has been nothing left for herself or anyone else."

"If she had asked, I would have stayed," Obi-Wan tells him. 

"She knows," Jango's lips tilt up for a second before he presses another kiss into Obi-Wans knuckles. "But she couldn't ask that of you. Satine wouldn't have been able to live with it, to keep you for herself when you could do so much for the galaxy."

Taking a slow breath, Obi-Wan considers Jango's words. He wonders for a second what would have happened if he had stayed with Satine, and then the war between the Jedi and the Sith had broken out. Obi-Wan pulls a face, and Jango chuckles.

"And you? Are you going to ask me to stay?" Obi-Wan doesn't know why he asks, the answer will break his heart either way, but the question is out there now.

"No," Jango squeezes Obi-Wan's hand and lays it over his heart. "I can't ask you to abandon your family in the middle of a war."

Obi-Wan was right, and he presses his hand into Jango's chest.

"But maybe after-" Jango begins, and no. Obi-Wan can't deal with maybes. He can barely promise tomorrow. He can't make a promise about a future he can't see. So he surges up and kisses Jango as hard as he can. It's slightly off, and there's way too much force behind it, but Jango rolls with it. Quite literally. He rolls onto his back and pulls Obi-Wan with him, and he slides between Jango's thighs. 

Obi-Wan clings desperately to Jango's shoulders and thrusts down with his hips. Cursing, Jango pulls away and grabs at Obi-Wan's hips.

"Hey, slow down, cyar'ika," Jango soothes, and the endearment breaks something in his chest. Obi-Wan doesn't realize he is crying until Jango wipes his tears away. 

"Hey, Obi-Wan," Jango leans up to kiss the tears off his cheeks. "We can stop if you want."

"Don't you dare," Obi-Wan tries to smile, but he must fail because Jango doesn't look very reassured. "I want to feel you for weeks."

The attempt at humor falls flat, but Jango smiles softly back up at him. He throws a leg over Obi-Wan's back and pulls him closer. "Alright."

And when they kiss again, it's slow and sweet. No trace of desperation remains, and Obi-Wan let himself relax into Jango. He could give him this. This last night together before Obi-Wan has to leave. He lets Jango set the pace and holds on to every moment he gets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song Jango is singing is "Your Man" by Josh Turner, because why not.
> 
> Anakin will arrive in the next chapter! Yey.


	8. And yet, he doesn’t regret a second of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, next chapter.
> 
> I usually add the translations in the notes at the end, but I feel that they need to be here this time. For reasons. 
> 
> Translation  
> Ret'urcye mhi- Goodbye - lit. Maybe we'll meet again  
> Ni kar'tayli gar darasuum- I love you- Lit. I hold you in my heart forever

Jango watches in amusement as what looks like a spice freighter sets down at the landing pad, and a man he identifies as General Skywalker storms down the ramp and stalks towards them. 

The only thing missing from this picture is ominous music, a black cloak, and a Battalion marching behind him. Instead, a Togrut teenager is jogging down the ramp, trying to catch up. Jango tilts his head to study her. That must be the infamous Commander Tano.

"Are you humming?" Obi-Wan turns his head to glance at him, and Jango has to bite the inside of his cheek to stop himself from grinning like a loon. There is a pretty big hickey on Obi-Wan's neck, and Jango is incredibly pleased with himself. He is tempted to lean over to bite at it, but even though they are the only ones at the landing pad, Jango is sure that Obi-Wan would not appreciate it.

"What did you say?" Jango turns his head to meet the Jedi's eyes.

"Are you humming?" Obi-Wan asks, and Jango grins at him.

"It seemed fitting," Jango tears his eyes away from Obi-Wan's and turns to face down the dark cloud known as Anakin Skywalker, who ignores Jango entirely and looms over Obi-Wan instead.

"I'm here, Master. Are you alright?" Skywalker asks, and he turns his head to glare at Jango. "Did they hurt you?"

Obi-Wan doesn't get the chance to respond before Commander Tano slides to a stop next to them. "He means WE are here." She elbows Skywalker out of the way and pulls Obi-Wan into a hug. "Hello, Master Obi-Wan. It's good to see you again."

"Hello, Ashoka, it's good to see you too," Obi-Wan answers as he hugs her back. "And I'm fine, Anakin. They have been nothing but gracious."

Skywalker crosses his arms, and if Jango didn't know better, he would say the General is pouting. 

Jango decides to put his own two credits into the conversation. "Which is why General Skywalker brought his Venator-class Star destroyer into Mandalorian space without clearing it with us first."

Obi-Wan freezes and looks incredulously at Skywalker, and to Jango's amusement, the General covers under Obi-Wan's look of disappointment.

"You did what?" Obi-Wan crosses his arms and drags a hand down his face. "No, you know what, I dont know why I'm surprised."

"I told you it was unnecessary," Tano says and mimics Obi-Wan's stance. 

"Shut up, Snips," Skywalker glares at her, but Tano only rolls her eyes. 

She looks at Jango and holds out a hand. "Hello, I'm Commander Ashoka Tano. Nice to meet you."

"Likewise, I'm _Alor'aan_ Jango Fett," Jango reaches out and clasps her hand in a traditional Mandalorian greeting. 

"Hello," Tano smiles and tilts her head at him. Like a curious cat. "What does _Alor'aan_ mean?"

He is about to answer, but Obi-Wan beats him to it. "It means General. Jango is the one who helped me escape and the one who has been pushing for the Empire to work more closely with the Republic."

"Speaking off," Jango smirks at Obi-Wan, who raises an eyebrow at him. "Remember to talk to your Senate about that mission."

"Of course," Obi-Wan nods and smiles at him. "I'll make sure it goes through. The relationship between the Republic and the Mandalorian Empire is an important one."

Skywalker glances between them suspiciously. "Alright, that's it, we need to leave. We have a war to win." He leans down and picks up Obi-Wan's bag, and stalks away.

"It was nice meeting you, Fett," Tano smiles and waves at him. 

Jango grins back. "You are always welcome to come back, Tano. Just drop the dead weight." 

The comments make her laugh, and Skywalker turns to look back at them. "Come on. We need to go!" Tano shakes her head and jogs up to her Master, yelling about something, but Jango isn't paying attention to them.

Obi-Wan sighs and turns to look at Jango. "He is right. It has been a pleasure meeting you, Jango."

They clasp forearms, and Jango squeezes. "Until we meet again, Obi-Wan."

Their eyes meet, and Jango can see the anguish in his eyes, and Obi-Wan shakes his head slowly. "This is goodby, Jango."

It takes Jango a moment to understand what Obi-Wan is trying to say, but when he does, Jango feels his temper flare. 

But it's a passing feeling.

Jango shifts his grip on Obi-Wan's hand and brings it up to kiss his knuckles, keeping his eyes on Obi-Wan's as he does. The same way he did last night.

Skywalker makes a choked sound, but Jango ignores him.

He lets his lips linger over Obi-Wan's hand, watching his Jedi blush faintly, and Jango squeezes his hand again. _"Ret'urcye mhi._ "

"Jango-" Obi-Wan starts again, but Jango cuts him off.

" _Ni kar'tayli gar darasuum,_ " He holds Obi-Wan's eyes. The words ring between them and Jango lets go of Obi-Wan's hand. _"Ret'urcye mhi_."

Obi-Wan takes a deep breath, nods, and walks away. 

They have known each other for maybe two weeks. This should not hurt the way it does, but standing there watching Obi-Wan walk away hurts like nothing he has ever felt.

It feels like someone is wrenching his ribcage open, closing their hand around his heart, squeezing tight, and ripping it out.

And yet…

And yet, Jango doesn't regret a second of it.

\--

Obi-Wan is not hiding from Anakin, don't be absurd, but he is walking a little faster and quieter than usual. He has just escaped medical, a place he did not need to be, and he is almost at the door to Ahosoka's room. 

He knocks, and after a second, the door opens.

"Master Obi-Wan?" Ahsoka raises an eyebrow at him. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine. May I come in?" Obi-Wan looks discreetly around the corridor. "Please? I just lost Anakin a couple of levels down."

Ashoke smirks at him but opens the door and lets him in. Obi-Wan runs a hand through his hair and takes a seat at the desk chair, while Ahsoka sits down at the bed.

"He is just worried, Master Obi-Wan," Ahsoka says, but she is still grinning as Obi-Wan huffs at her.

"I'm fine," He reiterates, but Ahsoka's grin falls off her face, and she pulls her knees up to her chest.

"You were missing for over a month," She mumbles into her knees and Obi-Wan sights. He stands up, sits down next to her, and curls an arm around her shoulders. Ahsoka snuggles into his chest, and Obi-Wan sighs again.

"I'm sorry, Ahsoka." Obi-Wan runs a hand down her back.

"We thought you were dead," Ahsoka says and leans back to meet his eyes. "Are you really alright?"

"Yes," Obi-Wan smiles at her. "The first thing the Mandalorians did was dump me in a bacta tank for over a day. I promise I am fine."

A dangerous glint enters Ahsoka's eyes, and Obi-Wan feels the hairs on his arms stand up.

"Speaking of Mandalorians…" She grins at him, and Obi-Wan reaches down to pull up the bad he brought with him, hoping its contents will distract her.

"I bought you something," He gives her the bag, and Ahsoka shoots him a look. The subject is not dropped, but she can be diverted. For now.

Ahsoka opens the bag and pulls out the armor piece. "Wow, Obi-Wan…" She lays it down on the bed and runs a hand over it. "Can you help me put it on?"

"Of course," Obi-Wan says, and he spends a couple of minutes showing her how to wear it and how it wraps around all her three head-tails. 

"Where did you get it?" Ahsoka asks. She is sitting with her back to him while Obi-Wan wraps the armor around her leku.

"In the Keldab Market, Jango helped me pick it out," Obi-Wan explains, and Ahsoka hums in understanding. 

When they are done, She turns around and pulls him into a hug. "Thank you."

"No problem, Ash'ika," he says.

Ahsoka pulls back and raises her eyebrow at him. "What?"

"My apologies, Ahsoka." Obi-Wan feels his ears heat up. "It's a diminutive suffix added to someone's name. It's a Mandalorian thing."

"Hm, it's a nickname?" Obi-Wan nods, and Ahsoka smiles. "I like it. Where did you learn to speak Mandalorian anyway? "She points a finger at him." Because you did not pick up the language in two weeks."

Chuckling, Obi-Wan runs a hand over his beard. "I spent a year in Mandalorian space when I was your age, and I picked up a couple of things during that time." 

"Uhu, I'm sure you did." Ahsoka grins at him, but she is running a hand over her lek in a nervous gesture. 

"Is everything alright?" Obi-Wan asks and leans forward. Ahsoka tries to smile, but it shaky at best.

"I-" She blows out a breath and leans back against the headboard. She won't quite meet his eyes. "Are you gonna go back to Mandalore after the war?"

Obi-Wan takes a second to gather his thoughts before he folds his legs under himself and turns to look at her. "No, I will not."

She jerks her head to look at him. "What? Why not? I might not have understood the words Fett said to you, but I could hear the way he said them. He loves you."

"He does, and I care for him," Obi-Wan confesses. "But- Ashoka, do you know how many Jedi there are left in the Galaxy?" He meets her eyes, and she shakes her head. "At the beginning of the war, there were almost fifteen thousand of us. You add the service corps. We were almost twenty thousand. Now, we number maybe seven thousand, and our crèche is almost empty. The Jedi are dying, and I can't abandon the Order."

Ahsoka freezes, and then she looks down at her lap. There is a feeling of guilt seeping into the air, and Obi-Wan leans forward to catch her eyes. "Ahs'ika, please look at me."

"I didn't know it was that bad, but maybe I should have." She whispers. "When Master Fisto died, we couldn't even fill up the hall for his funeral."

"Ahs'ika, you have nothing to feel guilty about," Obi-Wan reaches out and places a hand on her knee. "And if you want to leave the Order, there is nothing that can stop you. Now or after the war."

"But you-" Ahsoka starts, but Obi-Wan squeezes her knee and smiles at her.

"That is my choice. I'm choosing the Order and the Jedi, but you can make different choices." They look at each other, and then Ahsoka deflates.

"I- I don't know if I can do this." She looks away from him. Obi-Wan follows her gaze, and he ends up looking at a succulent plant on her nightstand, whose pot is wrapped in a headscarf. It's not the one Padawan Barris died in. That one is in Luminaras rooms, but it's was one of Barris's favorites. 

There have been too many funerals, too many deaths.

Ahsoka looks back at him, and he knows she is thinking the same thing. "I want to be a Jedi, not a commander or a general. I understand why we had to do this, but... This was not what I dreamed of when I was a kid."

"You are still a kid, Ahs'ika," Obi-Wan says, and she scowls at him.

"I'm almost eighteen, Master Obi-Wan." But she is smiling, if a little wobbly, so Obi-Wan calls it a win. Ahsoka bites her lip and then asks another question. "Have you ever considered leaving the Order?"

"Yes," He answers truthfully, and Ahsoka looks at him in surprise. "I met someone when I was your age, and if she had asked me to stay with her, I would have."

"But she didn't?

Obi-Wan laughs. "She was facing the same challenges as I am now. She needed to rebuild her people, and there was no time for romance."

"What was her name?" Ahsoka asks, and Obi-Wan looks down at his lap.

"Satine Kryze, duchess of Kalevala." He looks up again in time to see Ahsoka blink in surprise.

"Kalevala? Isn't that a Mandalorian planet?"

"It is. She is the one who thought me Mando'a." Obi-Wan answers.

"Huh, seem that you have a thing for Mandalorians," She mutters, and Obi-Wan runs a hand down his face. Right. He better get used to that. Quinlan was not going to let this go.

"Anyway," Obi-Wan says, and Ahsoka raises an eyebrow at him. "If you want to leave the Order, that is your choice."

"I'll think about it," She promises. 

It's at this point that the door flies open, and Anakin stalks in. "Obi-Wan, there you are, you're supposed to be in medical not having a sleepover with Ahsoka!"

"I'm fine, Anakin. There is nothing wrong with me." He sighs. 

"Uhu," Anakins sounds incredibly unimpressed, and he crosses his arms. "Then explain the report from medical about unusual bruising."

Both Obi-Wan and Ahsoka freezes. Oh, dear Force, he does not deserve this. 

While Obi-Wan is still gaping like a fish out of water, Ahsoka takes the lead. "Hey, Skyguy. Look what Master Obi-Wan got me!" She leaps off the bed and twirls in front of Anakin to show off. "Isn't it pretty!"

"It that armor?" Anakin leans over to get a batter look. "Nice Snips! Did you get me anything, Obi-Wan?"

"My apologies, Anakin," Obi-Wan gets off the bed and dusts off his clothes. "I didn't."

Anakin crosses his arms and pouts. "Why not?"

"Don't be jealous, Skyguy, Master Obi-Wan loves you too," Ahsoka teases and grabs Anakin's arm. "Now, come on. I want to spar. I need to see how the armor feels while in action."

"But-" Anakin protests, but Obi-Wan sees his chance.

"Ahsoka is right. I can help her if you cant."

"No, no," Anakin levels a threatening finger at him. "You just come out of a month-long abduction. You will keep out of it. I'll spar with Ahsoka."

"If you say so, Anakin." Obi-Wan meets Ahsoka's gaze and smiles gratefully. 

As they walk out, he takes one last look at the plant and the headscarf. He doesn't know how Luminara kept going after Barris died. If Anakin or, Force forbid, Ahsoka was killed, he doesn't think he could build himself back up again. Their deaths would shatter him.

But as Jango said, the war is almost over.

"Master Obi-Wan, come on!" Ahsoka calls out. "I want you to be there when I beat Skyguys ass!"

"Oh, please," Anakin says. "I'm still the Master, and you are the Padawan. I can still beat you."

"How about we level those odds?" Obi-Wan turns to look at the two of them. "Me and Ahsoka against Anakin?"

The question is met by loud approval from Ahsoka and grumbling from Anakin, but in the end, he agrees to the terms.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't decided if Anakin knows actually what the bruising means and he is just messing with Obi-Wan, or if he is in denial about it.


	9. Comm me when you need a rescue.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: Hello, I did a slight edit of this chapter about 12 hours after posting it. I didn't change much but I did emphasize a plot point I will be exploring in the next chapter.
> 
> If you have any questions about why or what I changed feel free to ask in the comments :D

The last of the sun disappears behind the horizon, and Jango lets out a deep sigh. He swirls his chair back to his desk and picks up a datapad. The report is probably an important one, but Jango can't focus. It has been almost a month since Obi-Wan left the planet, and Jango hasn't heard a word from him since. Not that he expected to, but still. Jango misses Obi-Wan.

He lets his head fall to the desk and lets out a long groan. The comm unit starts buzzing, and Jango lets out another long sigh before reaching out and hits the accept button.

"What," Jango barks, and after a long silence, he looks up to see who commed him. _Ah, kriff_. 

"Duchess Kryze," Jango puts his datapad away and straightens up. "What can I do for you?"

From what Jango can see, the Duchess is sitting by a desk, not unlike Jango himself. She is dressed in her usual attire, but her hair is down, so she must have retired for the night. 

Satine arches an eyebrow at him. "Your sister called me." 

"What. Why," Jango squints at her. "Arla hates you. She would never call you outside an emergency."

"We do not hate each other," Satine says. Jango almost chokes on his laughter, and Satine narrows her eyes at him. "We simply can't agree on anything. Besides, Arla insisted this was an emergency, and after witnessing the evidence, I have to concur with her." 

Jango feels his heart pick up speed. "What's going on?" He reaches for the datapad again. Did he miss something?

"Jango," The Duchess says, and he looks back up at her. "When is the last time you slept?"

He narrows his eyes at Satine. "I went to bed last night."

She gives him an unimpressed look. "Arla says you have been running the recruits ragged. They are threatening to revolt."

"They are fine," Jango huffs. "They are just whining."

"Arla says you are pini-" Satine says, and Jango interrupts her.

"Is this an intervention?" When Satine only shrugs, he shoots her a sour look. "I'm fine."

"Arla and Boba seem to think otherwise," Satine replies.

"You talked to my son," Jango feels his control over the situation slip away from him. 

Satine shrugs again. "It was a joint call between Arla, Boba, and I."

"They commed you?" Jango asks incredulously, and Satine gives him a look.

"I do have previous experience with your situation," She drawls, and Jango feels the knowledge that Satine is Obi-Wan's ex hit him in the face like a dead fish.

"Right," Jango mumbles. 

There is a knock on Satine's door, and whatever comment she was about to make does on her tongue as she turns to greet her guest. She has a short conversation before Korkie steps into wive of the holoprojector. When Korkie realizes Jango can see him, he waves, and Jango feels his spirits lift as he waves back.

Satine has her nose in the report, so Korkie gives Jango a long-suffering look before he leans down to kiss Satine's hair, and then he leaves. Jango feels his heart rate pick back up again as Satine keeps frowning at the reports. 

"Anything new going on in the Galaxy?" He asks-

"Just the usual. A couple of conspiracy theories are picking up traction again, but that's not new. Concerning, but not new," Satine looks at him. "The missions Cody and Rex was assigned to with the Jedi, when is that supposed to take place?"

Jango glances at his datapad. "Cody is still tracking Death Watch. Why?"

"General Kenobi and General Skywalker were assigned to the mission. If all things go right, they should join up with Cody later next month," Satine tells him, and Jango lifts an eyebrow at her. 

That information was highly classified, and no one outside of the Republic chain of command should know it. But then again, they all know that Satine has a lot of contacts in the Republic.

After Jaster took over as Mand'alor, he had offered her a place in his government, including a military title, but she had refused. Satine had insisted that she was a politician and a pacified, not a general. And it had worked out incredibly well for her. As a politician, Satine could move much more freely inside and outside the Mandalorian Empire, and she had spent much of her time on Courocant, building up relationships with other politicians and expanding her information network.

"We thought Obi-Wan would be assigned to the mission," Jango says, and then the first part of the sentence registers in his mind, and he grones. "Is it the Jedi conspiracy?"

"Which one?" Satine asks. "The one where Master Yoda is said to be controlling the Senate from the shadows? The one where they say the Jedi is working with the Sith to take over the Republic, or the one who says that all Jedi is baby stealers?"

Jango opens his mouth and closes it again. This is not the first time he has heard these rumors, they have been swirling for years, but this is the first time the severity of the rumors has hit him.

Satine must sense weakness because she puts her datapad down and meets his gaze. "You don't believe them do you?"

"No, no, of course not," Jango denies, but he wrinkles his nose, and Satine sighs.

"Which one?" She asks.

"I don't believe it," Janog protests," But there have been rumors about the last one?"

"Could you not have asked Kenobi about this?" Satine asks.

"We were busy," Jango protests, and then he remembers who he is talking to. 

"To busy getting lost in his eyes?" Santine teases.

"Something like that," Jango says and pulls a face.

"The Jedi Order does not steal kids. There has been insistence where they have taken in children, and the parents have changed their minds. Or where the kids were believed to be orphaned, and then the parents have been located, and asked for their kids back, "Satine explains.

"So they dont steal kids. Of course, they dont," Janog rubs at his eyes and nods. "But the others?"

He looks back at Satine, who is giving him a look. "Do you really think that Obi-Wan would be involved in anything like that? Or that he would associate with anyone that did?" The question makes him wince. "Honestly, Jango, do you really think I would date anyone without being sure of their character?"

"No, but-"

"No buts, Jango," Satine snaps. "Obi-Wan is not an exception. He is the norm of how the members of the Jedi Order acts. The Jedi Order is in a difficult position, and I dont agree with how they operate, but they are fundamentally good people."

Jango blinks at Satine. The outburst had not been proportional to the severity of the question. "Satine, is everything alright?"

She drops her datapad, leans back in her chair, and rubs at her temples. "No, these conspiracy theories are harmful, and there is a not-insignificant portion of the Republic that believes in them." Satine huffs. "Several Senators even believe in that osik."

Jango sighs and copies her posture. "Want to talk about it?"

"No," Satine huffs. "But we probably should, can have you asking Obi-Wan stupid questions the next time you see him."

"That's not going to happen," Jango says, and when Satine looks at him in question, he can't quite meet her eyes. "He is not coming back."

“Oh, Jango,” Satine sighs. “Did he give you the “I-love-you,-but-for-the-good-of-our-people-we-can’t-stay-together-and-must-spend-the-rest-of-our-lives-holding-out-for-the-hope-that-we-will-meet-someone-else-that-can-make-us-feel-the-way-you-do” look?”

Jango blinks at that and then turns an incredulous look at Satine, who is turning slightly pink. 

"Oh, dont give me that look. So I was slightly dramatic as a teenager, but I'm not wrong, am I?" Satine exclaims, and Jango can't help it. The laughter starts as a chuckle, but it escalates from there, and soon enough, both Satine and he is doubled over in laughter.

For the good of all, Jango doesn't tell Satine that she is still the most dramatic person he knows, but they do spend the rest of the afternoon discussing conspiracy theories and the state of politics in the Republic. 

\--

"Why," Rex says as he steps up next to Cody. They are at the bridge of the cruiser, waiting for the Jedi to show up. "Why did it have to be Ord Mantell?"

"You don't like Ord Mantell?" Cody asks. Rex can't see it, they are both wearing their helmets, but he is sure that Cody is grinning at him. 

"No! I don't like Ord Mantell. The last time I was here, a Jedi threw me off a dam!" Rex gestures at the planet that is just hanging there, looking all innocent and peaceful. "It might look innocent, but it's a trap. There is nothing but criminal syndicates and smugglers on that planet, and all of them want to kill us."

"And now we know why Death Watch chose to set up camp here," Cody comments, and Rex hates to admit it, but Cody is probably right. Ord Mantell is in the middle of nowhere but still close enough to the major hyperspace lanes to be relevant. Add on lax banking law and almost no Republic or Sith Empire presence on the planet, and you have a haven for folks looking for a place to _trade_ outside the reach of the authorities. 

Rex sighs and changes the subject. "When are the Republic set to arrive?" 

"They should be here soon," Cody turns to check a comm unit. "Speaking off, here they are." Cody punches Rex in the shoulder. "Come on, vod. Let's go greet them." 

Rex looks back at the planet and sigs. He has a bad feeling about this.

\--

When Cody and Rex step out of the elevator, they are joined by Fives and Echo, who fall into step with them. Rex turns scowls at them, but the twins don't seem to notice, or they ignore him. That's the problem with younger cousins. They dont respect your authority. 

"Hi Cods, Rex," Fives chirps, and Echo, well, echoes him. "We heard an interesting rumor," Fives begins, and Rex wonders if he can make him stop by stuffing Fives mouth. "That the Jedi joining us is the General Kenobi and General Skywalker?"

"You would be correct," Cody replies, and Rex can hear the smile in his voice.

"The same General Skywalker who threw our dear Rex off a roof?" Echo asks, voice raising in glee.

"It was a dam," Rex says through clenched teeth.

"One and the same," Cody answers. "His Padawan will also be joining us, Ahsoka Tano, who I believe was also there."

"She is a child," Rex grumbles, but he is ignored.

"And General Kenobi, is he the one that our dear cousin Jango is mooning over?" Echo asks, and Cody groans.

"For the love of all that's holy, do not remind me," Coby levels a finger at the twins. "And you two will be respectful and not needle the general about this."

"Of course," Fives and Echo promise.

Rex can feel the skepticism flow of Cody, but he nods and turns back to watch as the troop shuttle carrying the Jedi sett down in front of them.

The first one out of the ship is General Kenobi, followed by General Skywalker, and last but not least is Commander Tano.

"Generals, Commander," Cody greets the Jedi. "We are looking forward to working with you."

Cody turns to introduces the rest of them, but Fives steps forward and throws his hands out.

"Welcome to Ord Mantell, where the murder rate is high, and everyone is armed," Fives snarks, and Commander Tano snorts.

"Oh, I remember," She looks at Rex. "It nice seeing you again, Lieutenant."

Clearing his throat, Rex shifts on his feet. "It's Captian now."

"Congratulation, Captian," Tano crosses her arms and smirks at him. "It seems I still outrank you, though."

The familiar words make Rex grin, and he shoots back the same words he used the first time they met. "Experience outranks everything."

That makes Commander Tano laugh. "Let's just say I have gotten a lot more experience since we met four years ago."

Rex blinks and tilts his head to do the math. "Huh, it really has been that long."

"Indeed," General Kenobi says. "And if we dont get a move on, the war will last even longer. What can you tell me about the Death Watch hideout, General?"

"We believe it is located on the north side of Worlport. We can't get a proper lock on it," Cody says and gestures for Echo to continue the briefing.

"We have scouts on the surface keeping an eye on the city, but we can't find anything duracrete," Echo tells them.

"So we go in hot and heavy, smoke them out- What?" General Skywalker turns to Kenobi and Cody, who have both crossed their arms and, if the expression on Kenobi's face is anything to go by, is giving Skywalker twin looks of incredulity.

"No, no, please, go on," Kenobi gestures with on hand, "Tell us your masterful plan."

"I dont see the problem with my plan," Skywalker shoots back.

"Your plan is fine," Cody says, his voice indicating that it's really not fine, "If you ignore the fact that neither the Jedi nor the Mandalorian Empire is welcomed on the planet. And that we are unfamiliar with the terrain and that we dont know where Death Watch is." 

"Why are we not allowed on the planet?" Skywalker asks.

"Because last time you were there, you demolished half a city street!" Kenobi says, and Skywalker crosses his arms.

"It was not that bad. Besides, we put everything back where it was supposed to be," Skywalker complains.

Tano rolls her eyes and slings an arm over her Master's shoulder. "How about we go in nice and easy. Send in a small group, find Death Watch, and then call in the cavalry." She shoots her Master a grin. "That would be you."

"You want me to sit this one out? No way, Snips," Skywalker says, but Kenobi looks thoughtful.

"No, I think she is on to something. Ahsoka and I, plus some troops, finds Death Watch and then call you and the cavalry," He looks at Cody, who, after a short telepathic conversation, or that's what it looks like to Rex, nods in agreement.

"That sounds like a plan," Cody looks at Rex, "Captain Rex will accompany Commander Tano and you into the city."

"Obi-Wan," Skywalker protests and steps into Kenobi's personal space. "You can't seriously think that leaving me behind is the best option!"

"Anakin, we need someone to lead the Republic troops," Kenobi says. They have a long staring contest, that ends with both of them glancing at Tano before Skywalker steps back and nods with a determined look. Kenobi places a hand on his shoulder and smiles at him. "Besides, we need someone to make sure Death Watch doesn't try to leave the planet, and out of the three of us, you are the best flyer."

Skywalker rolls his eyes and turns on his heel. "I'll be back on the cruiser while you go on your little excursion." He turns his head and grins at them with a smile that promises chaos. "Comm me when you need a rescue."


	10. Old enemies

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please ignore all spelling and grammar mistakes.

Getting landing clearance on Ord Mantell is so easy, Ahsoka almost wants to find the nearest government official and give them a lecture on planet security, but she restrains herself.

The party had split up after landing, with Master Obi-Wan, Sergeant Appo, and a trooper named Jesse going one way, and Ahsoka, Rex, Fives, and Echo going another. Since this is a pure recon mission, they are all dressed as civilians, and without the helmets, the family resemblance between the men is undeniable.

"So," She says and falls into step with Rex. "Are you related to every member of the Mandalorian army?"

Rex huffs. "No."

Ahsoka looks pointedly at Fives and Echo, who grins at her and Rex.

"Coincidence," Rex mutters, and she laughs.

"So what was all that fuss about?" Fives ask as they round a corner into another street. The layout of Worlport makes no sense to Ahsoka, but from what she remembers from her last visit, the design choice is not a planned one.

"What fuss?" Ahsoka asks.

"With General Skywalker?" Fives looks at her, and Ahsoka raises an eyebrow at him.

"That's just how he is," She answers, but Fives only frowns at her.

"That's not what I-" He grimaces and changes gears. "Why can't you lead the Republic Troops?" 

The question hits a little too close to home, and she has to look away. Out of the corner of her eye, Ahsoka can see Rex glowering at Fives as an awkward silence falls over them, which, in the end, Fives breaks.

"I didn't mean to offend," He says, and Ahsoka sighs.

"You didn't," She waits until they enter a quieter street before continuing her explanation. "The Jedi might be Generals and Commanders in this war, but the troops-" Cutting herself off, Ahsoka takes another look around the area. "Let's just say that the troops don't always show respect for the Jedi."

"You mean they don't follow orders?" Echo asks, and Ahsoka grimaces. 

"Let's go with that," She settles on, and she can see the Mandalorians exchange worried glances.

No one has ever said anything directly to her, but Ahsoka has overheard the Masters talking among themself. Of Jedi calling for reinforcement that arrives just too late to help out, or Jedi going out with a group of soldiers and coming back dead.

Just like what happened to Barris, a dark part of her mind whispers, and Ahsoka shakes her head to clear her mind. 

This is actually the first time in a long time that Ahsoka has been sent out without either Anakin or Master Obi-Wan tagging along. She glances at the Mandalorians. She doesn't know if this reflects Master Obi-Wan's trust in her abilities or his faith in the Mandalorians. Reaching up under her hood, Ahsoka runs a hand over the armor covering her lek. Perhaps a mix of both. 

They turn down another street, and Ahsoka pulls her hood further down. They have entered the rougher part of town, and just in time to see a Mandalorian in Death Watch, colors disappear around a corner on the far side of the street.

"You catch that?" Ahsoka asks as she lengthens her stride.

"Sure did," Fives answers, and the other two nods. 

They follow the Death Watch Mando for a while until the Mando slip into a building not that far from Herglic's Folly. 

Ahsoka pauses at the corner and an eye on the building as she comms Obi-Wan. Rex steps up next to her while Fives and Echo watch their back.

While she waits for him to pick up, Ahsoka reaches out with the Force to see what she can get out of the building. She can feel the presence of almost twenty people, but she can't sense if they are Death Watch or there for something else. Reaching farther, Ahsoka comes across what feels like a black hole of rage and fury, and she pulls back quickly. She does not want to attract that once attention just yet.

"Ahsoka?" Obi-Wan's voice calls out, and she gets the feeling it was not the first time he had said her name.

"We have found what we believe to be the Death Watch base," She tells Obi-Wan. "I can sens almost twenty lifeforms inside, and one dark Force user."

"Where?" Obi-Wan asks, and Ahsoka gives him a quick rundown of the location. "We're on our way, keep out of sight until then," He orders, and Ahsoka ends the comm.

"Then we wait," Rex says as he pulls out his blaster and gets comfortable against the wall. Ahsoka hums in agreement, but something is nagging at the back of her mind. She shifts to look over her shoulder, but the only thing she can see is Fives and Echo.

"What?" Rex asks, and Ahsoka shakes her head.

"I got a bad feeling about this," She mutters and looks over to met Rex's eyes, "We're boxed in, and I dont like it."

He holds her gaze for a long time before he glances around the ally.

"Rooftop?" He asks, and Ahsoka feels a rush of relief that he is willing to listen.

"I'll throw you up," She offers. Rex grimaces but nods in agreement.

Getting the Mandalorians up is easy, and when she jumps up after them, she is relieved to see that the roof is even better than expected. There's plenty of cover, and the position gives them a good overview of the area. They take up positions, and then there is nothing to do but wait.

"Rumor has it the Republic is winning the war," Fives says after a couple of minutes in silence. Out of the corner of her eye, Ashoka can see Rex roll his eyes.

"That's what they say," Ahsoka answers, trying to suppress her smile.

There is another long silence. 

"So about General Kenobi and our dear cousin Jango," Fives begins, but Rex whips his head around to glare at him.

"What did-" This Is as far as Rex gets before Ahsoka pulls Rex out of the way off an incoming lightsaber strike from a Zabrak.

Ahsoka activates her lightsabers and jumps at the attacker. He blocks her first couple of blows, but he can't quite keep up with her furious attacks, and Ahsoka forces him into a retreat. He jumps back onto the roof of the nearest building, but before Ahsoka can follow, there is a hail of blaster fire aimed at the Mandalorians, who aren't wearing their normal armor. 

Cursing, Ahsoka spins on her heel and jumps in front of Rex and the twins, blocking as much of the incoming blaster bolts as she can. 

"Where the hell did they come from?" Echos shout, even as he is returning firing at Death Watch. Ashoka doesn't have the breath the answer, but he doesn't seem to be waiting for one anyway.

Fives pulls Echo behind a low wall, and Rex follows after them, but Ahsoka keeps standing where she is. Death Watch isn't pressing their advantage, even if they keep up a sporadic fire, and the Zeback seems to be waiting for something or someone. 

All of this smells fishy, and not just from the nearby docks.

"What the hell are they waiting for?" Rex mutters. He must have had the same line of thoughts as her, not that it makes her feel any better, and they get their answer seconds later when a second Zabrak joins the first one, and Death Watch stops shooting.

"You just had to ask," Echo snarks, but Ahsoka can feel his worry in the Force.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Padawan Tano," The newcomer says with a grin. "How nice of you to join us."

A thousand thoughts are running through Ahsoka's head, but one of them sticks out: Death Watch knew they were coming.

"You know me, but I dont know you," Ahsoka says and spins her lightsaber in a showy arc.

"Oh," The Zabrak says. He tilts his head and studies her, and even if he is still grinning, Ahsoka gets the feeling that he is irritated by her answer. "Haven't your dear Master Kenobi told you about me?"

"Look, I dont know how well you know Master Obi-Wan, but he doesn't go around spouting his mouth off at his previous," She pauses deliberately and looks the Zebrak up and down. "Conquests, so you are gonna have to introduce yourself." 

There is the sound of someone choking on air behind her, but Ahsoka doesn't turn to look. She is keeping all of her attention on the stunned Force users in front of her.

The red Zebrak throws his head back and howls with laughter. The sound of it brings chills down her spins, and Ahsoka has to swallow down her anxiety, and even Death Watch shift nervously on their feet.

The situation is getting out of hand. One Force-user and a firing squad she can handle, but you add on another one, and Ahsoka isn't sure she can fight both of them and keep the Mandalorians and herself alive.

"My name is Maul," The Zabrak, Maul, says and gestures at the other. "And this is my brother Savage."

Ahsoka looks between the two of them. She can kind of see the family resemblance if she tilts her head and squints.

"I want to say it's nice to meet you," Ahsoka tells them. "But I dont think it will change the outcome of this encounter."

"No, but you could give it your best shot," Maul offers, and Ahsoka shrugs.

"I don't know if it's gonna be worth it," She says.

The grin Maul gives her is bone-chilling. 

"Oh, it's gonna be worth it to me," He promises. Ahsoka hesitates, and Maul keeps talking. "I'm going to enjoy killing you. Maybe I'll even leave your body in pieces for Kenobi to find. For poetic reasons, nothing personal."

"That was a very weird thing to say," Ahsoka tells him as Savage laughs. They are going to have to make a run for it. She glances back at Rex, their eyes met, and he nods. Ahsoka looks back at Maul and waits for the Mandalorians to be ready, but they never get the chance. Maul narrows his eyes at her, then without warning, he activates his lightsabers and jumps at her, Savage not far behind.

Ahsoka jumps out of the way of the first blow, blocks the second, and then Savage is there, going high when his brother goes low. Out of the corner of her eye, Ahsoka sees Fives trying to get a clear shot on one of the brothers, but Death Watch has them pinned behind the wall, and if they dont move soon, they will be dead. 

She spins to block Maul's next attack, and there's a shout of pain that sounds like Fives, but Ahsoka doesn't turn to look. She can't lose focus, but she needs to do something. 

Twisting out of the way of Savage's charge, Ahsoka flips over his head and right into the line of fire from Death Watch hoping that Maul and Savage will follow her. They do, which forces Death Watch to stop shooting on the Mandalorians or risk hitting Maul and Savage. A quick glance at the Mandalorian shows Fives down, Rex leaning over him, trying to stop the bleeding.

Soresu is not Ahsoka's strong suit, but now she channels every lesson Anakin has taught her and every move she has ever seen Obi-Wan use. She can't move too far from this spot, or Death Watch will take out Rex and the twins, but if she can't fight the way she is used to, she will not last long. 

There is a slight loll in the fight, which Ahsoka is eternally grateful for, for all of two seconds until Savage breaks off from the battle and turns to face the Mandalorians.

"No!" Ahsola shouts and lounges to intercept him, but Maul slid in front of her. He looks delighted at her reaction as he continuously blocks her moves to get around him.

"Friends of yours?" Maul taunts as Savage stalks toward Echo, deflecting his blaster bolts with an almost careless flick of his lightsaber, and before Ahsoka can do anything, Savage is on him.

A small part of Ahsoka is begging her to look away, telling her that this is not something she wants to remember, but she can't, so she throws herself at Maul in a desperate offense to get past him, to get to Echo.

There's a blur of motion and the sound of lightsaber against lightsaber. And when Ahsoka looks back over at them, Obi-Wan is standing in front of Echo, blocking the strike.

"Captain Rex," Obi-Wan says, and his voice is as cold as ice. "Take your men and retreat. Appo and Jesse will lay down cover fire."

The look in his eyes matches his tone, and whatever relief Ahsoka had felt at the sight of Master Obi-Wan disappears. Maul laughs as Savage jumps back to join his brother, and Ahsoka uses their distraction to slide around them and join Master Obi-Wan on the other side of the roof.

"Kenobi," Maul says in delight. "It's good to see you again."

"I wish I could say the same," Obi-Wan says. He takes a couple of steps to the side, placing himself firmly between the brothers and the retreating Mandalorians. "I thought I told you to wait, Padawan," Obi-Wan doesn't even glance at her as he says it, and Ahsoka feels her temper rise.

"They knew we were coming," She tells him, and Obi-Wan finally looks at her. 

His gaze softens a little. "My apologies. I sometimes forget that you are not as reckless as Anakin." Obi-Wan looks back at Maul, and his eyes narrow again. "How are you alive? The last time I saw you, I killed you."

Maul spreads his hands and grins. "Obviously, you didn't do a very good job."

"Allow me to rectify my mistake," Obi-Wan says, and Maul chuckles.

"We'll see who walks out alive this time," Maul turns his head to look at her. "Or who dies."

Obi-Wan glances at her again, and Ahsoka can read the anger, desperation, and fear in them. Obviously, whatever happened in the past between the two of them was devastating, and just as obviously, Obi-Wan is not over it. She can read the request in his expression that asks her to go, but no way is Ahsoka leaving Obi-Wan behind to face these two alone, so she scowls at him and readies her lightsabers.

She reaches out to him in the Force, and after a slight hesitation on his side, Obi-Wan reaches back. Just like when we trained with Anakin, she thinks, and Obi-Wan must pick up her thoughts because he smiles. It's the first expression he has made that was not frozen in ice, so she counts it as a win.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long absence. I finally plotted this series out a couple of weeks ago, and I wasn't happy with how it ended, so I have been trying to find a different ending to no avail. I'm too close to the endgame to change things now. So I will write it out as planned, and we will see what happens.


	11. Who's Maul?

"Do you have a plan?" Ahsoka mutters as the two of them eyes the Zabraks.

"Anakin is on his way," Obi-Wan tells Ahsoka, who nods. She glances at the firing squad of Death Watch soldiers still standing behind the Zabraks, but Obi-Wan can't take his eyes off the red Zabrak. At the beginning of Anakin's apprenticeship, Obi-Wan had woken up more than once to the smell of burning flesh and the feeling of being too late, but more often than not, it had been Anakin that was dying, not Qui-Gon. And to see Ahsoka fighting the phantom of his nightmare had been- Well, Obi-Wan was sure that image was going to haunt his dreams for a long time.

"You take Maul, and I take Savage, he is not as good as his brother, and I almost had him before Maul showed up," Ahsoka tells him. Brother? Obi-Wan glances between the two Zabraks. He can kind of see the family resemblance.

"Who's Maul?" Obi-Wan asks, and Ahsoka blinks at him. She looks at the Zabraks and back at him.

"The red Zabrak," She tells him. "The one with a grudge and the bad feet?"

"Ah," Obi-Wan meets Maul's eyes. "So that's his name."

"You didn't- Never mind, I dont want to know," Ahsoka mutters, and it reminds him so much of Anakin when he was her age, he can't help but smile at her. 

"Kenobi, I have been waiting for you," Maul begins his speech.

"I must have missed the invitation," Obi-Wan retorts. "If you like, we can reschedule this meeting for another day."

"To have you here for within my reach is all I ever dreamed of after you left me for dead. You dont know the depths I would go to to stay alive, all fueled by my hatred for you." He continues as if Obi-Wan hadn't said anything. 

"Wow, you should have aimed for his neck, Master Obi-Wan," Ahsoka says.

Obi-Wan feels his lips twitch. "Quite right, young Padawan. At least then we wouldn't have to listen to him talk."

Ahsoka snorts, and the last of the terror leaves Obi-Wan. When the fear of seeing Ahsoka fighting his Master's killer fades, it leaves behind clarity. He is not alone this time.

"You mock, but we'll see who has the last laugh," Maul interrupts with a sneer, and then he and Savage go on the attack.

"You have the weirdest exes," Ahsoka tells him right before she jumps at Savage, and Obi-Wan whips his head around to gap at her, but then Maul is right there, and Obi-Wan is too busy defending to talk. Almost.

"Ahsoka! He is not my ex. I do have standards," Obi-Wan gripes as he dodges Maul's overhand strike.

"So your standards are not Darksiders with questionable morals?" She shoots back as she slides past Obi-Wan, she is leading Savage around by his nose, and Obi-Wan takes a second to admire her footwork. Anakin has taught her well.

Deflecting Maul's next attack, Obi-Wan shifts his attention back to his opponent. Block, step, twist. Obi-Wan stabs at Maul's unprotected shoulder, and Maul barely gets out of the way in time. 

"No, and even if it was, Maul doesn't fit the bill," Obi-Wan snarks back.

Maul snarls and lunges. The force of his attack makes Obi-Wan's arms shake, but he holds his ground. They exchange violent blows, and then Ahsoka slides up behind him and nudges him in the back with her elbow. It's a familiar feeling, and the maneuver she is suggesting is a simple one but can be used to devastating effects if you know your partner well enough. 

They switch places, and then Obi-Wan is facing Savage. They trade strikes, and Ahsoka is correct. Savage does not have the same skill as his brother, but what he lacks in finesse he makes up for in pure strength.

"Are you gonna tell Ventress that your standards have changed?" Ahsoka questions, and Obi-Wan laughs.

He ducks Savage's swing, and Ahsoka uses the opportunity to utilize his back as a springboard and jumps at Savage again.

"And imply that we were ever anything but enemies? She would eviscerate me," He answers as he twists back to face a furious Maul.

"Face me, Kenobi!" He screams, and Obi-Wan raises an eyebrow at him.

"My apologies, Maul. Do you feel neglected?" Obi-Wan says, voice as mild as spring.

"I gutted you're Master Qui-Gon while you stood helpless and watched. How did that make you feel, Obi-Wan?" Maul asks, and Obi-Wan feels his blood freeze in his veins. His breath is coming in short pants, and there is a pounding in the back of his head as his vision narrows in on Maul's grinning face.

The next couple of blows are sloppy, and Obi-Wan can feel his calm slipping away, but he doesn't care. The only thing he cares about is seeing Maul dead. 

Maul gets him with a kick in the guts that slams him into the air, and he tumbles to a stop at the edge of the roof. Obi-Wan coughs and barely gets his lightsaber up in time to deflect the incoming blaster fire. Right, Death Watch is still here.

"No!" Maul shouts. "He is mine!" And the blaster fire stops. 

Staggering to his feet, Obi-Wan brings his lightsaber back up and meets Maul's eyes.

"Your rage has unbalanced you. That is not the Jedi way," Maul tells him.

Obi-Wan's breathing is coming quickly, and not just because the Mail's kick knocked the air out of him. There is a buzzing in his ears witch Obi-Wan ignores. 

"Master Obi-Wan!" Ahsoka calls out, and he sifts his attention to her. She is standing over a knocked out Savage, his lightsaber in one hand and her own in the other. Their eyes meet, and Obi-Wan gulps in his first clean breath of air. He is not alone, not this time.

The buzzing in his ears becomes louder, and Obi-Wa frowns. How hard did he hit his head? The answer comes seconds later when Anakin's fighter flies over while firing on Death Watch.

Maul sneers and tries to go for his brother, but Ahsoka meets him blow for blow, and when Obi-Wan jumps into the fray, he scowls and makes for a quick getaway. The Jedi tries to follow, but the remaining Death Watch lays down cover fire, and combined with Anakin's and his troops' blaster fire, it would be idiotic to try a pursuit, so he says where he is.

"Master Obi-Wan?" Ahsoka calls out again, and Obi-Wan sigs deeply.

"Ahsoka, I'm sorry," He turns to face her. "Thank you. For having my back."

She doesn't say anything, just looks at him for a long while.

"Are you alright now?" She asks, and Obi-Wan laughs and slings an arm around her shoulders.

"I'm as alright as I will ever be, Ahs'ika," He answers, and she smiles a little at him.

"Good, then you can help me with Savage. He's fucking heavy," Ahsoka mutters.

\--

The government off Ord Mantell does not like the fact that the Republic and the Mandalorian Empire is on their planet, but Obi-Wan is able to talk them into letting them stay.

"And what did you have to promise in return?" Cody asks as they stride across the square of their newly set up camp.

"Nothing we weren't already planning on doing," Obi-Wan reassures him, but when Cody only looks at him, Obi-Wan continues. "I promised we would remove Death Watch from their planet."

"A fair trade," Cody agrees. They stop to let a couple of Republic soldiers pass. They dont stop to salute Obi-Wan, but he didn't expect them to. Cody shoots him a look witch Obi-Wan ignores and walks into the command center where Anakin, Ahsoka, and Rex are waiting for them.

"Is the trap set up?" Obi-Wan asks.

"Yeah, but how sure are you Maul will come for his brother?" Anakin asks and crosses his arms. "I didn't think a Sith would care."

Obi-Wan glances at Ahsoka, who nods and answers the question. 

"I don't think they are Sith, or at least not taken orders directly from the Sith command," Ahsoka says and frowns. "I can see why the Sith wants to destabilize the Mandalorian Empire, but this is more than that, more personal," She looks back at Anakin and shrugs. "Beside Savage is not the bait."

"Then what is the bait?" Rex asks, and Obi-Wan sighs.

"I am," He looks around the room and then meets Anakin's eyes. "Maul is the Sith that killed Qui-Gon Jinn on Naboo."

The reaction is instantaneous. Anakin's face grows dark, and he clenches his hists. "What?"

"I didn't realize until I came face to face with him, but he definitely knew me," Obi-Wan crosses his arms and runs a hand over his chin, giving off an air of calm. One of them needs to be the rational one, and it's not going to be Anakin. "I'm sure he will try to kill me again if given a chance."

"You killed him!" Anakin protests. "It can't be the same Zabrak."

"I'm afraid it is, Anakin," Obi-Wan lays a hand on his shoulder, but Anakin shrugs it off and opens his mouth to argue, but they are interrupted by a call from Admiral Yularen.

Activating the comm, Anakin gives Obi-Wan a look promising that they are not done with this.

"Admiral Yularen, what's going on?" Anakin asks. The usually calm Admiral is looking a little frazzled.

"We have new orders, General. Highly confidential," He says.

"We'll wait outside," Cody tells them and follows Rex out.

"We're all ears, Admiral," Anakin states when the only people left are the Jedi.

"You and General Kenobi are being recalled to Courosant," Admiral Yularen begins, but Anakin cuts him off.

"What? But we have Death Watch on the run," He complains.

"Be that as it may, we have bigger issues," Admiral Yularen snaps. "Thirty minutes ago, the Sith's capital ship dropped out of hyperspace over Coruscant."

There is a stunned silence.

"We are on our way. Ahsoka-" Anakin begins, but now it's Admiral Yularen that interrupts. 

"No, just you and General Kenobi. Commander Tano is to stay on Ord Mantell and finish up the mission," He tells them.

"There is a force damned Sith here," Anakin's protests, but the Admiral is unmoved.

"Coruscant needs back up, and we are the closest fleet. I have been told that General Swan is en route to Ord Mantell. Surely with the help of the Mandalorian Empire, Commander Tano and Admiral Tenant can hold down the fort until she arrives?" Admiral Yularen asks.

The look on Anakin's face is troubled. He glances at Ahsoka, who smiles reassuringly at him, and then back at the Admiral. "We're on our way." He says and closes the call.

"You'll be alright," Obi-Wan says to Ahsoka. He can see the nervousness in her, but he has all confidence in her skill.

"Rear Admiral Tenant never liked me," Ahsoka complains.

"No, he has no love for the Jedi, but he is loyal to the Republic," Obi-Wan counters and pulls her into a hug. "Good luck, Ahs'ika. I'll see you soon."

Obi-Wan steps back and walks out to give Anakin and Ahsoka a second to say goodby in private, and almost walks straight into Cody and Rex. 

"What's going on?" Coda asks when he sees Obi-Wan's face.

"You know what they say: a cornered animal is the most dangerous," Obi-Wan tells them, and Cody frowns.

"The Sith launched an attack?" Rex asks, and Obi-Wan nods.

"And we're the closest fleet, so we are being redirected," He answers.

"To what?" Cody demands. "Ord Mantell is at the ass-end of the galaxy."

Obi-Wan takes a quick look around the area before he answers. "Coruscant."

There is a long pause before Cody lets out a loud swear. 

"Quit," Obi-Wan says in agreement. "Ahsoka is staying here, and General Swan is two days away. They will lead the Republic forces."

"Alright," Cody says as he rubs at his eyes. "I need to contact Mand'alor Mereel, but I don't think he will pull out of the mission because of this."

"Good," Obi-Wan hesitates. "Would you keep an eye on Ahsoka?"

"You got a bad feeling?" Cody asks, and Obi-Wan has to stifle a grin. He and Cody had only spent a week running around Taris together, but the man had learned to dread the words: I have a bad feeling about this.

"No, nothing that dramatic, just-" He glances at the Republic soldiers. "Just keep an eye on her, please?"

Cody follows his gaze but doesn't say anything about it.

"Will do," He says, and Obi-Wan lets out a deep breath. 

"Vor'e."

\--

The moment Anakin and Obi-Wan set down inside the Resolute, the ship jumps into hyperspace. Anakin stalks out, and Obi-Wan follows at a more leisurely pace.

"There is nothing to worry about, Anakin. She will be fine," Obi-Wan says, and Anakin whirls on him.

"So you are not worried? At all?" Anakin demands.

"Of course I'm, but I also saw her fight both Savage and Maul, and Ahsoka was holding her own," Obi-Wan tells him. "There is a reason the Council has been asking you about her progress. We are assessing her for knighthood."

"She's too young," Anakin counters, and Obi-Wan laughs.

"She's eighteen, and she has far more experience than you had at nineteen when you were knighted," Obi-Wan states, and Anakin grumbles, but he is smiling.

"There is also the-" Anakin glances around at the soldiers milling about, and Obi-Wan understands what he means.

"You talked to the Chancellor, didn't you?" Obi-Wan asks, voice low.

"Yes, and Chancellor Palpatine told me he would look into it," Anakin says, matching hushed whispers.

"And?" Obi-Wan steps closer to Anakin.

"He found nothing. He told me there was nothing to worry about," Anakin tells him, and Obi-Wan puts a hand on his shoulder. 

"Do you trust the Chancellor?" Obi-Wan asks.

"Of course, I trust him as much as I trust you, Master Obi-Wan," Anakin says with a smile.

"Then there is nothing to worry about," Obi-Wan reassures him and lets his hand drop. "Now, let's go and find Admiral Yularen. The poor man looks a little frazzled on the holocall."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Translate  
> Vor'e - thanks
> 
> I read every comment I get on all my fics, so I saw all of you who left theories of what would happen next, and to those of you who were right: I salute you.  
> The comments made me laugh like a two-bit villain, and I especially want to call out those of you who began calling out the plot in chapter two. Fucking amazing. 
> 
> Not that I was being subtle, but still. It was fun reading them, and I didn't answer them because I didn't know what to say. Thumbs up seemed a little.... off.


	12. The General and the Commander

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long time no see. As I said in another fic, I had the January blues, but I should be ready with the next chapter before April at the very least.
> 
> Quick note. _Cursive means it's spoken in Mando’a_
> 
>   
> I don't write much gore or descriptive violence, but there will be minor character death in this and the next chapter. Reader discretion is advised. (I've listened to too many horror podcasts)
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They dont hear or see anything from Maul for the next two days, and it gives General Swan and her Padawan time to get to Ord Mantell. Ahsoka doesn't know Knight Swan personally, but Padawan Ziesi Na is a couple of years younger than Ahsoka, and they know each other in the Crèche. From what she remembers, the Iktotchi was a quiet but unyielding person. Not the best in lightsaber combat, but a good negotiator and diplomat, and Ahsoka hopes the war hasn't changed her too much.

Not that Ahsoka is worried. Bultar had been known and respected for her martial skill and control and for never having killed any of her opponents in battle.

But that had been before the war.

As the pair steps into the command center, Ahsoka reises a hand to hide a smile. Bultar is a slim, human woman, and standing next to her Padawan, Bultar looks tiny. Ziesi stands almost a head taller than everyone in the room, and the curved horns that all Iktotch has, make her look more intimidating than she is. 

"Commander Tano," General Swan greets her with a smile. She nods at Cody and Rex. "General Fett, Captian Fett. I have been fully briefed on the details of the mission. Thank you for your aid on this mission."

Cody shifts on his feet. "We are grateful for the cooperation of the Republic, General Swan."

Bultar gives him a polite smile. "Has there been any sightings of our target?"

"No, but we have some intel and a vague knowledge of where Maul and Death Watch is hiding," Cody replies, and Bultar gets a considering look on her face.

"Do we have an estimate of how many soldiers from Death Watch are with him?" She asks.

"No more than fifty," Ahsoka answers, and General Swan hums thoughtfully.

"That is a risky plan, Master Bultar," Ziesi says.

"You think so?" Bultar turns to look up at her Padawan. "Do you think it will be too dangerous?" 

Ziesi closes her eyes, and after a couple of seconds, her breathing evens out. Ahsoka can feel the confusion waft off the Mandalorians, so she leans closer and tries to keep her voice low and unobtrusive. No need to disturb Ziesi when she is working.

"Iktotchi are natural telepaths, and they have a gift for precognition," Ahsoka tells Cody and Rex. She gestures at the Padawan. "Ziesi is trying to see the outcome of General Swan's plan."

"The plan General Swan hasn't told anyone yet?" Cody asks bemused, but he looks willing to roll with the punches on this.

"Yes," Ahsoka smiles in agreement. 

Ziesi opens her eyes again and frowns down at her Master. "I-" She hesitates. "I can't see much, but your plan should work. Darkness is making everything hazy."

"Is it the force-user on the planet that is blocking your vision, or is it something else?" Bultar asks.

Frowning, Ziesi tilts her head to the side. "Both, but then again, the future has been clouded for a long time."

"It has," Bultar agrees and turns back to Ahsoka and the others. "We will have to rely on our instinct and our allies." She smiles at Cody. "Will you walk me through the recent intel?"

"Of course," Cody agrees with a smile and hands her the datapad with the most recent updates.

They go over the intel and the ground pictures, and in the end, they all agree that General Swan's plan has merit.

"I dont like the thought of sending you two in alone," Rex says and crosses his arms.

"But it is necessary," Bultar says. "Ahsoka and I can move much faster and quieter on our own. Besides, we need you and your men to set up the trap."

Rex sighs but nods in agreement. Cody looks up at Ziesi. "That leaves the two of us to guard the prisoner and the camp."

"I'm looking forward to working with you, General Fett," Ziesi says and bows at Cody.

"Please, call me Cody. There are too many Fetts in this army to keep track of," Cody says with a grin, and Ziesi nods.

"Of course, General Cody," Ziesi agrees with another bow. Cody opens his mouth to protest, but he seems to think better of it. Instead, he turns to debate who to assign to Rex's squad. 

Ziesi meets Ahsoka's eyes, and it's only because she knows her so well that Ahsoka can see the humor in her expression.

\--

Ahsoka peers around the corner and assesses the situation. She can't see Maul anywhere, but she can see a group of Death Watch soldiers hanging around. Some of them are leaning up against the walls. Others are playing a game involving throwing knives at a board of some kind.

Infiltrating the base had been easy. Finding Maul not so much. Ahsoka pulls back and looks at Bultar. "Maul isn't here."

Bultar tilts her head, it's a familiar gesture, and Ahsoka realizes she must have picked up from Ziesi. "Not in the building or not in the room?"

Frowning, Ahsoka reaches out with the Force. She can feel the ball of rage and hatred she associates with Maul nearby. "He is still in the building," Ahsoka tells her, and Bultar gives her a slight smile.

"Good, then we can spring our trap," Bultar twirls her lightsaber between her fingers and meets Ahsoka's eyes. "You're still worried about something."

"What if Maul doesn't fall for it?" Ahsoka bites her lip. "We are giving up our one advantage for this."

Bultar holds her eyes for a long second. "Are you worried that your assumptions about Maul are wrong or that we won't be able to hold our own against Death Watch long enough to spring the trap?"

Ahsoka hesitates, and Bultar continues. "You know Maul better than me. Will he be able to resist the opportunity to kill us?"

"No, he probably won't," Ahsoka agrees.

"And you have already proven that you can hold your own against Maul," Bultar raises an eyebrow at her. "So, are you worried about me?"

"No," Ahsoka shakes her head with a smile. "It's- Something doesn't feel right.

Bultar nods in agreement. "I know, but we have to focus on the here and now. It's like I tell Ziesi, we can be so wrapped up in the future that we miss the danger right in front of us."

Ahsoka smiles and unholsters her lightsaber. "Alright, let's do this."

Bultar smiles, grips her own lightsaber, and launches herself around the corner. Ahsoka right on her heels.

The nearest Death Watch soldiers try to get their weapons up in time, but Bultar puts her hand up and throws them across the room. The back of their heads hit the wall with a thud, and most of them don't get up again. Bultar goes right, and Ashoka goes left. It takes Ahsoka and Swan under a minute to clear the room. 

"Let's move on," Bultar says, but Ahsoka holds up a hand.

"Wait, Maul is on the move." Ahsoka follows his path through the building. "He's going back the way we came." Ahsoka glances at Bultar, who looks thoughtful. 

"He might try to set up an ambush of his own," she mutters. Bultar looks eyes the door and then turns back around. "Let's go meet him upfront."

\--

Cody gives landing clearance for the Republic shuttle and steps out of the Command center. He puts his helmet back on and goes looking for Padawan Ziesi. Not that she is hard to find as she towers over everyone else, and after a short search, Cody finds her standing alone at the outskirts on the west side of the camp. She is facing the direction General Swan, Ahsoka, and Rex had disappeared to earlier this morning. He glances at the clock in his helmet. If all goes to plan, they should start the attack right about now.

"Commander Ziesi, is everything alright?" Cody asks as he steps up next to her. After it had become apparent that Padawan Ziesi would not drop the title, Cody had decided to return the favor in kind. 

"Everything is fine, General Cody," Commander Ziesi says, but she doesn't stop frowning at the horizon, so Cody doubts that. She looks down at him. "Really, it's just the Force- Its-" The Padawan takes a deep breath and looks up at the sky. "Something is coming, and I can't see what it is."

"You're afraid," Cody says, and Padawan Ziesi nods. 

"Yes, but not only for myself," she confesses in a low voice. "I fear what this can mean for the galaxy, for my Master."

Cody doesn't have anything to say to that, so he keeps quiet. In the silence, he can hear the Commander's breathing slow down and even out the same way it did yesterday, and Cody decides to wait for her to come back before he leaves. It's peaceful, for now at least, and Cody can join the Padawan in a moment of rest. She can't have gotten much of it in this war.

"General Fett!" Someone calls out, and when Cody turns to look, he is faced with a line of Republic troopers, guns drawn, and aiming at them.

"What-"

"Step away from the Jedi!" The Captain shouts. Cody turns fully to meet the firing squad.

"What is going on?" he demands, but the Captain doest answer him.

"General, step away from the Jedi!" he repeats. Cody eyes the Republic soldiers and inches his hand closer to his blaster. 

There is a gasp of pain from behind him. 

"Master, no." Padawan Ziesi says and falls to her knees. "Ahsoka-"

Terror fills Cody as he turns back to look at her, but instead, he finds himself flung backward by an unseen force as the sounds of blaster fire fill the air.

Cody rolls back up to his feet just in time to see the Captain walk up to Padawan Ziesi's prone body and put two blaster bolts in her head.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Cody shouts as he grips his blaster, but he doesn't raise it. There is no use. Ziesi is already dead.

"The Jedi just tried to usurp Chancellor Palpatine," the Captain says as he turns to look at Cody. "The Chancellor has ordered their execution."

"Ziesi was a Padawan. A child," Cody protests.

"She was a traitor!" the Captian argues. The rest of the soldiers shift on their feet, and Cody freezes as several things become clear.

He is outnumbered and outgunned, and if he wants to get his people of the planet alive, he must react appropriately. 

"What about the Jedi still in the field?" Cody asks quietly.

The Captian holsters his weapon. "Admiral Tenant has contacted Captian Tiliso. He will take care of it."

Cody forces himself to nod. Captian Tiliso was the other half of the group sent out with Rex and the Jedi. The mention of Admiral Tenant brings Cody's thoughts back to the fact that the Republic has two cruisers in orbit, while the Mandalorian Empire has only one.

A squad of Mandalorians, lead by Waxer, rounds the corner, blasters drawn, and Cody makes himself relax. 

"Cody?" Waxer asks as he stops to take in the scene. 

"Stand down," Cody orders. He can see the moment Waxer sees Ziesi's body, and Cody activates the helmet's comm system. _"Waxer, I need you to start evacuations. Discreetly."_

It takes a second, but Waxer holsters his blaster and nods in agreement. _"Yes, sir."_

Cody almost sighs in relief. "What of the prisoner?" he asks the Captian. 

The Captian looks between them, but he answers readily enough. "Admiral Tenant wants him transferred to a Republic ship."

Cody looks down at Ziesi. Mandalorians don't have an elaborate burial ritual, and if there is no way to recover the body, they usually take a piece of armor with them to honor the fallen. 

Gesturing for the Captian to come with him, Cody turns his back on the body. "Sounds good. Come with me to the command center, and we'll get the paperwork started right away. What's your name?"

"I'm Captian Kellboot." the Captian answers and turns to follow. "Oh, what about the corpse?"

"Leave her," Cody snaps. Taking a breath, he continues. "My men will take care of it."

When Cody passes Waxer, he pauses and grasps his arm. _"Contact Rex. The Republic has ordered the Jedi's execution."_

_"What about…"_ Waxer trails off and looks up at Cody. 

_"She is coming home with us,"_ Cody states and lets go of Waxers arm. No way in hell is he leaving anyone behind. 


End file.
